A prevailing storyline in track and field for the last two years has been this: the U.S. men could win every Olympic gold medal from 100m through 800m.
An American is either the reigning world champion or the fastest man in 2021 in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles.
Those runners are expected to be tested to varying degrees at the Olympic Trials, which start Friday at the new Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Some, like Michael Norman (400m world leader), Grant Holloway (world 110m hurdles champion) and Rai Benjamin (world 400m hurdles champion), are significant favorites in events where the top three clinch spots on the team for Tokyo.