Merritt leads sweep of 400; USA brings medal tally to 20

USA Track & Field Press Release – for more information, visit usatf.org

BEIJING - A sweep of the men's 400 meters led a six-medal night as Team USA brought its Olympic track and field medal count to 20 during Thursday evening competition at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium. The medal haul helped to offset disappointment in the men's and women's relay rounds.

Merritt the man at 400 meters

Still considered an underdog entering the 400 meters, Olympic Trials champion LaShawn Merritt (Suffolk, Va.) had only one goal, and that was gold. In the end, he led the second consecutive Olympic sweep for Team USA in the one-lap race, including Jeremy Wariner (Waco, Texas) and David Neville (Los Angeles).

Running in lane 9, Neville set a blistering pace as Wariner in lane 7 also got out well. In lane 4, Merritt started more conservatively. But as the saying goes, it's not where you start, it's where you finish. All three Americans came off the turn together, virtually in a dead heat. But in the final straight, it was all Merritt. The Olympic Trials champion must now be considered the favorite rather than the contender after running away from the field to win in 44.75 seconds, a personal best and the fastest time in the world this year. Wariner was nearly a full second back, in 44.74, and Neville dove for third in 44.80.

Payne, Oliver go 2-3

Another multi-medal event came in the men's 110-meter hurdles. With world record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba heavily favored, many predicted the race for second and third would be most compelling. Americans came away with both spots.

The 2007 World Outdoor bronze medalist, David Payne (Hampton, Va.) started strongly and held on as Robles sped through the 10-hurdle race. Robles broke clear of the field to win in 12.93, with Payne second in 13.17. After a somewhat conservative start, David Oliver (Kissimmee, Fla.) moved strongly over the final three hurdles, nearly nipping Payne but finishing third in 13.18.

Felix wins second silver

The women's 200 was another matchup between U.S. and Jamaican sprinters, with the heavyweights being defending gold medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica and silver medalist Allyson Felix of the United States.

Campbell-Brown got out very well, leaving Felix to play catch-up after a slow start and around the curve. There was no catching the Jamaican, however, as she powered home to win in a personal-best 21.74, with Felix second in 21.93. It was the second-fastest time of Felix's career. Kerron Stewart of Jamaica was third in 22.00, with a hard-closing Muna Lee (College Station, Texas) just out of the medals, fourth in a personal-best 22.01. Marshevet Hooker (Austin, Texas) was fifth in a personal-best 22.34.

Clay, Hardee still 1-3 in decathlon

After two more events Thursday night, Bryan Clay (Glendora, Calif.) and Trey Hardee (Austin, Texas) remain in first and third in the decathlon standings.

The 2005 world champion, Clay had a somewhat disappointing performance in the high jump, conducted in a driving rain, by clearing 1.99m/6-6.25 for 794 points and 11^th place. He finished by running 48.92 in the 400 for 865, ending the day with 4,521.

Hardee jumped 2.02m/6-7.5 in the high jump (850 points -sixth place) and ran 47.75 in the 400 (921 points - fourth place) to remain in third with 4,428 points. Andrei Krauchanka of Belarus was second with 4,433. Competition resumes Friday morning.

Rowbury makes final

In the women's 1,500m semifinal, Olympic Trials champion Shannon Rowbury (San Francisco, Calif.) advanced to Sunday's final by placing fourth in heat 3, the fastest heat of the semifinals, in 4:03.90. USA indoor champion Christen Wurth-Thomas was eighth in the first heat in 4:09.70, and Erin Donohue was eighth in heat 2 - by far the most tactical of the three - in 4:16.05. Donohue was sprinting to the finish when she knocked elbows with Nancy Langat of Kenya with 50 meters to go, after which she faded.

Relay woes

The men's and women's 4x100m relays both ended the same, and badly. In the men's race, Rodney Martin led off, followed by Travis Padgett and Darvis Patton, who held a comfortable lead. As he moved to hand off to Gay, the baton appeared barely to graze Gay's hand, and fell to the track.

Hopes were higher for the women's relay, but the result was nearly identical. After legs by Angela Williams, Mechelle Carter and Torri Edwards, Team USA enjoyed a large lead. But again on the final handoff, the baton fell helplessly to the track.

Nick Symmonds missed out on making the final of the men's 800, placing fifth in his semifinal heat in 1:46.96. Symmonds made a big move from eighth to second with approximately 200 meters to go, but he was unable to hold his speed in the final straight.

For more information on Team USA at the Olympic Games, including athlete quotes, event schedule, TV schedule and complete results, visit www.usatf.org

Team USA medal table, 2008 Olympic Games

Gold (4)

Stephanie Brown Trafton (Galt, Calif.), women's discus, 64.74m/212-5

Angelo Taylor (Decatur, Ga.), men's 400m hurdles, 47.25

Dawn Harper (Los Angeles), women's 100m hurdles, 12.54

LaShawn Merritt (Suffolk, Va.), men's 400m, 43.75

Silver (8)

Christian Cantwell (Columbia, Mo.), men's shot put, 21.09m/69-2.5

Jenn Stuczynski (Churchville, N.Y.), women's pole vault, 4.80m/15-9

Kerron Clement (Los Angeles), men's 400m hurdles, 47.98

Sheena Johnson Tosta (Chula Vista, Calif.), women's 400m hurdles, 53.70.

Shawn Crawford (Los Angeles), men's 200m, 19.96

Jeremy Wariner (Waco, Texas), men's 400m, 44.74

David Payne (Hampton, Va.), men's 110m hurdles, 13.17

Allyson Felix (Los Angeles), women's 200, 21.93

Bronze (8)

Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.), women's 10,000m, 30:22.22AR

Hyleas Fountain (Kettering, Ohio), women's heptathlon, 6619 points

Walter Dix (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), men's 100m, 9.91

Bershawn Jackson (Raleigh, N.C.), men's 400m hurdles, 48.06

Sanya Richards (Austin, Texas), women's 400m, 49.93

Walter Dix (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), men's 200m, 19.98

David Neville (Los Angeles), men's 400m, 44.80

David Oliver (Kissimmee, Fla.), men's 110m hurdles, 13.18

Wariner

05:01, 21 August 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

WARINER SHOULD HAVE NEVER SWITCHED COACH HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can Merritt get some Respect

07:17, 21 August 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

It is really nice to see Merrit and David do well at the oly... because they are good people. Now people need to give them some respect!!! I want to see some features on them.... David talks about God.... lets here some stories on him..