OLYMPICS/ Athletes
Wariner leads US one-two-three but no record
(AFP)
Updated: 2007-09-01 17:25
US Jeremy Wariner celebrates after winning the men's 400m final at the 11th IAAF World Athletics Championships, in Osaka. Wariner won ahead of countrymen LaShawn Meritt and Angelo Taylor. [AFP] |
Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner led an American one-two-three in the 400 metres final Friday, inching ever closer to Michael Johnson's eight-year-old world record.
The 23-year-old Texan bolted out of the blocks and never looked back, sprinting several steps ahead of the field around the bend to finish in 43.45 seconds, his personal best and the fastest in the world this year.
LaShawn Merritt took silver in 43.96, a personal best, with Angelo Taylor getting bronze in 44.32.
Wariner, the defending champion and the 2004 Athens Olympic gold medalist, moved a step closer to the world mark of 43.18 set by Johnson, now his agent, at the 1999 world championships when he was 31.
"I had great finish. Sweep means a lot to me and US athletics. I knew I would run a fast time," he said. "Next year it is to defend my Olympic title. The world record, it will come when it should come. Today means a lot to me."
Wariner had already become number three on the all-time world list just three weeks ago when he ran 43.50 in Stockholm -- behind Johnson and another black American Harry Reynolds at 43.29.
It was the first American men's 400m medal sweep at the world championships, although the sprint superpower has monopolised the Olympic podium four times.
At the 2004 Athens Games, Wariner became the first white American to win an Olympic medal of any kind in the sprints for 40 years.
"My coach told me to execute in the best possible way and I did it. I was not bothered by lane, lane is a lane," said Wariner who ran in the sixth lane outside his teammates.
His next goal is another gold in the 4x400m relay.
Wariner ran the third leg in the United States' 4x400m relay victory in Athens and then anchored the US team to another relay at the 2005 world championships in Helsinki.
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