Monday, October 16
Olympic athletes on 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'
 
 Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Ten U.S. athletes who competed at the Sydney Olympics will now compete to sit in front of Regis Philbin.

Two special Olympic editions of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" will air on ABC Oct. 22 and 24, the network said Monday. Half of the athletes' winnings will go to a charity and half they can keep themselves.

Given NBC's lower-than-expected ratings for the Olympics, it sets up an interesting test: Will the athletes be seen by more viewers answering Philbin's questions than they were seen in their events?

The scheduled athletes: swimmers Lenny Krayzelburg, Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres and Gary Hall, Jr.; basketball player Lisa Leslie; sprinter runner Maurice Green; diver Laura Wilkinson; wrestler Rulon Gardner; soccer player Julie Foudy; and pole vaulter Stacy Dragila.

Each player is guaranteed $16,000 for appearing on the show, ABC said.