SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Dwight Phillips, the third long jumper on the U.S. team, reacted angrily Thursday to the racial remarks by Australian Jai Taurima.

 "I took it personally," Phillips said about Taurima's comments that "you can pretty much knock out all the dark athletes (in the cool conditions expected at Sydney)."

 Taurima's comments also elicited caustic comments from long jumpers Savante Stringfellow and Melvin Lister after he made them when the U.S. team was training in Brisbane. Stringfellow vowed to beat Taurima when they met in a tuneup meet at Brisbane, and he did.

 He said the result would be the same at the Sydney Games.

 Phillips had a similar reaction.

 "It motivates me more," Phillips said. "It will add about another foot or two to my jumps. And I hope it's 30 degrees. What he said was very bad. They were harsh remarks. He showed a total lack of class. He could have thought it, but he didn't have to say it.

 "When I take something like that personally, I jump very well."

 He said that he has spoken to Stringfellow and Lister about Taurima's comments, and they also were personally offended.

 Since that meeting against Stringfellow, Taurima has not competed in any of the pre-Olympic meets against the Americans.

 "I guess he's dodging us," Phillips said after he and Stringfellow competed Thursday.

 Phillips said he hadn't decided yet whether to say anything to the Aussie when they meet during the Olympic long jump qualifying.

 Stringfellow and Taurima shook hands and wished each other well after their competition at Brisbane. Lister and Taurima have yet to confront each other.

 Phillips said he had competed in several meets where the weather was bad, including rain and cold at the Penn Relays at Philadelphia.

 "If you can compete in the Penn Relays, you can compete anywhere," he said.

 That's what he wants to prove to Taurima.