FAYETTEVILLE - In years past, Wallace Spearmon Jr. would eat fast food on a daily basis and ride his motorcycle regularly.

But 2008 is an Olympic year, causing the former Arkansas sprinter to make several considerable changes over the past few months.

Spearmon decided to leave his motorcycle in the garage and start lifting weights for the first time in his career. He also gave up his guilty pleasure and stopped eating fast food, all in the hopes of winning an Olympic medal.

"Everything is different this year. Everything is pumped up 12 notches. Everything got more serious," Spearmon said. "I'm lifting weights. I'm not eating fast food. Everything is different. Nothing is really the same."

According to the Chinese calendar, 2007 was the Year of the Pig. But depending on how the next few two weeks go, there could be several Razorbacks heading to Beijing in August for the Olympics.

Spearmon and fellow sprinter Tyson Gay highlight a group of 23 current and former Arkansas track and field athletes who are expected to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oreg.

No Olympics spots are guaranteed and anything is possible at the trials, which begin today and run through July 6. As the athletes know, one poor performance in Eugene could force them to wait another four years to make the Olympics.

"Track and field is really hard because you actually have to get ready for one day," Spearmon said. "If you play in the (NBA) playoffs, you get seven games to win or lose. Here you have one race to say if you're going to the Olympics or not."

When it comes to making the U.S. Olympic team, Spearmon and Gay are as close to sure things as possible. Now track rivals, the two sprinters led the Razorbacks to one indoor national championship and two outdoor titles during the 2004 and '05 seasons before turning professional.

Since then, Gay has established himself as arguably the world's fastest man, winning gold medals in the 100, 200 and 4x100-meter relays at the 2007 World Outdoor Championships in Osaka, Japan.

Spearmon, meanwhile, is on the cusp of joining Gay in the elite status. He was on the 4x100 relay team that took home gold at the World Championships, and he added a bronze in the 200-meter dash - his best event.

"Wallace is definitely in as good of a position now as he's ever been at this stage," said John McDonnell, who retired earlier this month as Arkansas' longtime track and field coach. "All he's got to do is make the team, and he still has time to get ready for the Olympics."

Spearmon and Gay will each attempt to qualify for the 100 and 200-meter dashes at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Current Arkansas sprinter J-Mee Samuels hopes to accompany them to Beijing, the same way he joined them in Osaka.

Samuels, who will be a senior if he decides to return to Arkansas next season, has shown he has the potential to be an Olympian.

In front of a hometown crowd at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships on May 31, Samuels ran the sixth-fastest American time in the 100-meter dash this year (10.08 seconds). He followed that up by posting the eighth-best American time in the 200 (20.32).

But Samuels suffered a setback earlier this month when he failed to qualify for the finals of the 100-meter dash at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

"Des Moines was the only bad race of the year for him," McDonnell said. "... He's there. All he needs is a good meet. I think he definitely has a shot."

The same could be said for former Arkansas pole vaulter April Steiner and former Razorback distance runner Christin Wurth-Thomas (1,500-meter run).

Current Arkansas triple jumper Nkosinza Balumbu will also attempt to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, despite nagging foot and knee injuries that nearly cost him his outdoor season.

"Mentally, I've got a lot left, but physically my body's banged up," Balumbu said earlier this month. "I still think if I just go about these next two weeks and really just keep healthy these next two weeks and don't really aggravate anything else worse, I'll be fine going into Eugene."

For the current Arkansas athletes, their road to Beijing is particularly difficult. The Olympic Trials begin only 12 days after the Razorbacks concluded the 2008 season at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

As if any more pressure were needed.

"This is where people's careers are made, and I guess, where some people's careers fade away. So you either make it or you don't," Spearmon said. "This is a big year for track and field. This is like our NBA playoffs or our NFL Super Bowl."

Olympic Hopefuls

For approximately 23 current and former Arkansas track and field athletes, the next two weeks are big. They will compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oreg., hoping to punch their tickets to Beijing later this summer.

Here is the list of the male and female Arkansas athletes who hope to earn a spot in the Olympics:

Men:

Name Event First day of trial

Said Ahmed 1,500M Thursday

Nkosinza Balumbu Triple jump July 4

Eric Brown Javelin July 4

Tyson Gay 100M & 200M Sat. & Sun.

James Hatch 800M Today

Alex McClary 800M Today

Andy McClary 1,500M Thursday

J-Mee Samuels 100M & 200M Sat. & Sun.

James Strang 5,000M Today

Wallace Spearmon 100M & 200M Sat. & Sun.

Seth Summerside 10,000M July 4

Women:

Denise Bargiachi 10,000M Today

Dacia Barr 1,500M Thursday

Amy Begley 5,000M & 10,000M Today & Mon.

Etienne Chaplin Heptathlon Today

Jessica Cousins 400M Sunday

Paige Farrell 800M Today

LaShaunte'a Moore 100M & 200M Today & July 4

April Steiner Pole Vault Thursday

Katie Stripling Pole Vault Thursday

Nicole Teter 800M Today

Jodi Unger Pole Vault Thursday

Christin Wurth-Thomas 1,500M Thursday