Compiled by Globe Staff, 09/15/2000

50 FREESTYLE
WHEN: Sept. 22
US ENTRIES: Gary Hall, Anthony Ervin
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Russia's Alexander Popov, who won in Barcelona and Atlanta, is favored for a three-peat and could lower his world record. But Hall and Ervin will chase him to the wall.

100 FREESTYLE
WHEN: Sept. 20
US ENTRIES: Neil Walker, Hall
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Nobody's ever taken this race three times at Olympus, but Popov is the man to bet on. The Americans, who haven't won here since 1988, may have to settle for bronze behind Michael Klim of Australia.

200 FREESTYLE
WHEN: Sept. 18
US ENTRIES: Josh Davis, Scott Goldblatt
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Australia's Ian Thorpe, called ``The Thorpedo'', is so dominant that Klim, the world champ, opted out of the race. Davis, who broke Biondi's 12-year-old record at the US trials, has a shot at a bronze but his best is nearly two seconds behind Thorpe.

400 FREESTYLE
WHEN: Sept. 16
US ENTRIES: Klete Keller, Chad Carvin
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Thorpe is nearly seven (yes, seven) seconds ahead of the world here, but it's wide open behind him. Keller, who set the US mark at the trials, has as good a shot as anybody. Ryk Neethling of South Africa will be the other challenger for silver.

1,500 FREESTYLE
WHEN: Sept. 23
US ENTRIES: Eric Vendt, (N. Easton, Mass.), Chris Thompson
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The Aussies, who've gone 1-2 at the last two Games, are assuming a sweep with Grant Hackett and Kieren Perkins. But Vendt, the first Yank to go sub-15:00, could get in between. At the least, he's strong for the first US medal since 1984.

100 BACKSTROKE
WHEN: Sept. 18
US ENTRIES: Lenny Krayzelburg, Neil Walker
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Krayzelburg will need earplugs to drown out the roar for Australia's Matt Welsh, but he's clearly top dog. If Walker's not tired from the previous day's relay, he could make the podium, too.

200 BACKSTROKE
WHEN: Sept. 21
US ENTRIES: Krayzelburg, Aaron Peirsol
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The Americans went 1-2 last time with Brad Bridgewater-Tripp Schwenk and both Krayzelburg and the 17-year-old Peirsol are faster. Mark up another sweep ahead of Gordan Kozulj of Croatia.

100 BREASTSTROKE
WHEN: Sept. 17
US ENTRIES: Ed Moses, Pat Calhoun
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Should be a great duel between Russia's Roman Sloudnov and Moses, who set the US record at trials. Sloudnov holds the world record. The Americans haven't won two medals here since 1972, but Calhoun has a good chance at bronze although Jarno Pihlava of Finland will contend for third.

200 BREASTSTROKE
WHEN: Sept. 20
US ENTRIES: Kyle Salyards, Tom Wilkens
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: No Russian has ever won the event, but 19-year-old Dimitri Komornikov is the man to beat. Salyards has a medal shot, but needs to drop a couple of tenths to pass Yohan Bernard of France and Roman Sloudnov of Russia.

100 BUTTERFLY
WHEN: Sept. 22
US ENTRIES: Ian Crocker, (Portland, Me.), Tommy Hannan
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Though the Aussies have never won the 100 fly, they figure to sweep with Klim and Geoff Huegill. Tough assignment for the 17-year-old Crocker, who has a half-dozen rivals ahead of him, including Lars Frolander of Sweden.

200 BUTTERFLY
WHEN: Sept. 19
US ENTRIES: Tom Malchow, Michael Phelps
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Malchow, runner-up last time, has gone from ``Puppy Chow'' to ``Big Dog'' as he owns the world record. He'll have to work, though - both France's Franck Esposito and the Ukrane's Denis Sylantyev beat him at the last world meet.

200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
WHEN: Sept. 21
US ENTRIES: Tom Dolan, Tom Wilkens
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Massi Rosolino is a slender favorite, but Italy has never won a medal here. The US hasn't gone gold since 1968 and was blanked in Atlanta, but has a chance at two, one - or none - this time. Curtis Myden of Canada is also a contender.

400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
WHEN: Sept. 17
US ENTRIES: Tom Dolan, Eric Vendt
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Dolan owns the event and figures to lead another sweep with Vendt, the surprise qualifier whose better race is the 1,500. Watch for Canada's Curtis Myden, who won bronze in Atlanta and at the world meet.

400 FREESTYLE RELAY
WHEN: Sept. 16
US ENTRIES: Neil Walker, Gary Hall, Scott Tucker, Jason Lezak
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The Yanks have never lost this race at an Olympic or world meet, but the world has caught up. With Michael Klim, Chris Fydler, and Ian Thorpe, the Aussies are easily their match. The difference is Hall, anchorman supreme.

800 FREESTYLE RELAY
WHEN: Sept. 19
US ENTRIES: Josh Davis, Scott Goldblatt, Chad Carvin, Klete Keller
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Engrave the medal for the Aussies right now. Led by Thorpe and Klim, they have four men faster than the No. 2 Yanks. Though the Americans have won nine of the last 11 gold medals, they'll have to hustle to beat the Germans for the bronze.

400 MEDLEY RELAY
WHEN: Sept. 23
US ENTRIES: Top finisher in each stroke at Olympics
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: With Lenny Krayzelburg (backstroke), Ed Moses (breastsroke), Ian Crocker (butterfly), and Gary Hall (freestyle), the US is still top of the heap in an event they've never it has never come close to losing. But the Aussies beat the Americans at the world meet, so the margin is thin.