USA Olympic trials: defending 400-meter champion outpaced by Merritt

(BEIJING, July 4) -- The 22-year-old sprinter LaShawn Merritt flashed through the 400 meter qualifier in just 44 seconds on the seventh day of the USA Olympic trials being held in Eugene, Oregon. Merritt ran 0.2 second faster than Olympic gold medalist Jeremy Wariner, who finished the race second.

Merritt, the 2007 World Championships silver medalist in 400 meters, turned out his best performance of 43.96 seconds in Stuttgart, Germany last year.

This was the second time Merritt chalked up a faster time than Wariner this year. Merritt also outpaced Wariner in the IAAF Golden League race in Berlin.

Both sprinters have qualified to join the US Olympic team traveling to Beijing in August.

After placing first in the Olympic qualifier, Merritt was quoted on the official USA track and field web site as saying: "When I got to the curve, I was smelling Beijing and victory, so I just wanted to bring it home. My focus was to cross the line first. I had to prove to myself that I could make this team and compete in Beijing and that's what I did."

"I feel blessed to make it to these games. I have been coming in second in the U.S. for the past couple of years, but after today this moment is over," Merritt added.

Wariner said after the Olympic qualifier: "Everybody wants to come out and win. My main goal was to have fun and make the team. You win some, you lose some."

"I'm happy to be on the team and I'm happy for the LaShawn (Merritt). I'm going to fly home tomorrow and train harder. I'm going to meets in Rome, Paris and Stockholm, so I have chances to bounce back," he added.

David Neville also secured a place on the American Olympic team. He ran the 400-meter qualifying race in 44.61 seconds.