Wariner has Johnson's record in sight

MIAMI: Olympic 400m champion Jeremy Wariner believes he is on course to beat Michael Johnson's world record when defending his world title in Osaka this month.

Wariner, whose uses Johnson's coach Clyde Hart, says he has been following the training program his agent Johnson used before setting the record of 43.18 seconds in Seville eight years ago.

"The coach pulled out some of Michael's work-outs and the average times are about the same. I am on pace, training-wise, to go for the record, if we go for it," Wariner said in a tele-conference on Monday.

Coach Hart had told Wariner his times in 350m training runs were ahead of where Johnson was in his preparation for Seville.

"Now I'm trying to get to that level, coach Hart has been speeding my times up and comparing me," he said.

But Wariner said he was not going to become fixated with becoming the fastest 400m runner of all time.

"I'm not going to go after it, if it comes it comes. I am going for victory and if I win maybe the record will come as well," he said.

"There are a lot of races ahead of me - if not (in Osaka) then there is the Olympics next year and a lot of other meetings," he said.

The 23-year-old ran a personal best of 43.50 in Stockholm on August 7 equalling fellow-American Quincy Watts as the third-fastest man ever and said if he repeats that form he will claim another gold.

"If I run like I did in Stockholm they are not going to beat me. If I slip up they will beat me - only if I don't run my race," he said.

"My first 200m in Stockholm was faster than Michael's in his record. It is between 200 and 300 where I have to work on," he added.

Historically, the US has dominated the men's 400m at the world championships, winning 16 medals, including seven golds. The US has finished one-two in the 400 four times, but has never swept all three medals.

But Wariner believes that between himself, national champion Angelo Taylor, LaShawn Merritt and Lionel Larry, the US can take a sweep in Osaka.

"I think so, I think we can," he said adding that he also held out hopes of breaking the 4x400 relay world record of two minutes 54.20 seconds.

"If we run in the right order we can definitely beat it," he said.

The men's 400m heats at the world championships are on August 28 with the final three days later.

Agencies

(China Daily 08/22/2007 page23)