Merritt outdoes Wariner, again
The day of Olympic surprises continued tonight, with LaShawn Merritt beating Jeremy Wariner in the men’s 400-meter race at the U.S. track and field competition. Merritt finished in 44 seconds flat, 20/100ths of a second faster than Wariner, the defending Olympic gold medalist. It is the second time Merritt has outdueled Wariner this year.
It was the second upset of the day after Brendan Hansen finished a shocking fourth in the 200-meter breaststroke, an event in which he is a former world record-holder. Only the top three finishers make the Olympic team in that event.
However, unlike Hansen, Wariner still did enough to earn his spot on the Olympic team in the 400, his best event.
-- Debbie Goffa
Photo: LaShawn Merritt, left, crosses the finish line before Jeremy Wariner in the men's 400 meter final. Photo: Eric Gay / Associated Press
