The New Target
As the world's new superstar at 400m, LaShawn is discovering that winning comes with new expectations, new challenges, and new roles.
After winning gold the 400m gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, LaShawn is no longer an unheralded competitor, but rather, the target of his peers.
One man in particular, Jeremy Wariner, has the most to gain -- or regain -- by defeating LaShawn.
Wariner dominated the 400 meters after winning gold at the 2004 Athens Games. In 2007, he even looked primed to break Michael Johnson’s world record of 43.18 seconds heading into the 2008 Beijing Games.
That’s when LaShawn emerged from the shadows to claim gold.
"He has been a little more hungry," said Mike Ford, Wariner's coach. "The feeling after the Olympics wasn't a good one."
Some critics blame Wariner’s coaching change shortly before the Olympics as the reason he failed to meet expectations.
"I'm tired of people saying that," Wariner told the Dallas Morning News. "Nothing changed last year. It was just unfortunate things happened. For one, LaShawn Merritt got better."
LaShawn needs to continue his improvement if he wants to defend his throne against Wariner and the like.
The outdoor track season culminates at the 2009 world championships in August in Berlin. Wariner will be defending his 2005 and 2007 world titles and trying to regain his position as the best 400m sprinter.
LaShawn, meanwhile, will play, and attempt to keep, his new role as the favorite.
RELATED STORIES
Sprinter Wariner is in an unfamiliar position (Dallas Morning News, Mar. 27, 2009)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/khairopoulos/...
Wariner ready to challenge Merritt for 400m supremacy (AP, 28, 2009)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hR7aZkwyb6gz_GYxOjXOD...