Olympics
Track and field: It's as easy as 1-2-3 for U.S. in 400

By Ashley McGeachy Fox
Philadelphia Inquirer

DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES Gold medalist Jeremy Wariner, silver medalist Otis Harris, and bronze medalist Derrick Brew, left to right, embrace after the men's 400-meter final.

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ATHENS — He stood high above the track, peering through his digital camera, snapping a picture of the jubilant scene. There were three Americans on the medal stand, in his favorite event, and Michael Johnson didn't want to miss it.

Through his lens, Johnson saw the newly crowned 400-meter bronze medalist Derrick Brew, and silver medalist Otis Harris, and then zoomed in to photograph the gold medalist — his boy, his protégé, his fellow Baylor Bear, 20-year-old Jeremy Wariner.

"I'm very proud of all those guys," said Johnson, the 400 gold medalist in 1996 and 2000 who was at the Olympic Stadium last night to watch the United States sweep the 400 for the fourth time in history. "More importantly, this restored some dignity to the 400. ... Those guys have stepped up."

Wariner won in 44 seconds flat, a personal best and the fastest time in the world this year. After leading down the stretch, Harris came in second in 44.16, also a personal best, and Brew recorded a season-best 44.42.

Wariner became the sixth consecutive American to win the Olympic 400 and the first white American to win a sprint medal since Mike Larabee won gold in the 400 in 1964. Wariner said he has been asked about his skin color so many times, "I've lost count."

Wariner also became the eighth-fastest 400 runner in history, joining a list consisting only of Americans, including Johnson, the world-record holder at 43.18.

Winning a gold medal and almost breaking into the vaunted 43-second time slot capped a quick ascension for the young Wariner, a cool Texan who just completed his sophomore year of college.

Earlier this year, he won NCAA titles in the indoor and outdoor 400, setting stadium records in both. In July, he ran what was then the fastest time in the world — 44.37 — to win the Olympic trials. And now, like Johnson, he too will have a glass display at Baylor, featuring the left shoe he wore to bring home the gold.

"It's the greatest feeling in the whole world to know I'm only 20 years old, and already I've won a gold medal," Wariner said.

After a sweltering Sunday when temperatures were near their highest of these Games, yesterday was as pleasant as a mid-spring morning. There was no humidity, a slight breeze, and a flawless sky overhead the once-again packed stadium.

The atmosphere was less festive than it had been for Sunday night's men's 100 final, but electric nonetheless.

About an hour before the 400 final, Johnson visited Wariner, proffering advice from one stoic man to another. Stay calm. Run your race. Don't try anything spectacular early.

Wariner ran the first half of the race in 21.3. "Exactly what we wanted," said Clyde Hart, who coached Wariner and Johnson at Baylor. When the sprinters came through the final turn, Wariner was on Harris' heels.

Wariner's stride never changed as his gold necklace flapped against his chest. Harris' eyes were as wide as silver dollars as he tried to hold Wariner off, to no avail.

As the two crossed the finish line, Wariner extended his arms in victory. A moment later, he, Harris and Brew embraced.

"It was definitely my goal to win a gold medal," Harris said, "but if anyone was going to beat me, I'm glad it was one of my USA members."

	DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES Jeremy Wariner of Baylor University raises his arms in triumph after winning the 400 in 44.0 seconds, a personal best and the fastest time in the world this year.

"We all thought we could go 1-2-3," Wariner said. "We did our best. We fought hard, and we all came out on top right now."

The three Americans took a subdued victory lap around the stadium, one never venturing far away from the other. Wariner held an American flag on a stick, while Harris draped one over his shoulders. They were classy, and somewhat unemotional — all on purpose.

"You've got to act like you've got manners," Brew said.

Harris said the trio consciously kept the celebration low-key.

"We didn't want to do anything to disrespect other countries," Harris said.

When he completed his lap, Wariner was met near the finish line by Johnson, who had run down more than 50 concrete steps from his perch in a British television booth. Mentor embraced pupil, and was too excited to talk.

"He's had a lot of pressure, but the thing about Jeremy is ... Jeremy is a lot like I was. He doesn't let the outside pressures affect him."

Johnson admitted that he and Hart will now have to advise Wariner about his pro prospects. The endorsement opportunities should be great. Now that he's a gold medalist, more people than just a former champion will want to snap Wariner's picture.

U.S. sprinters fare well

As is typically the case, the Americans fared well yesterday in the sprints, and not so great at longer distances.

Joanna Hayes (12.48) and Melissa Morrison (12.53) had two of the top three times in the women's 100 hurdles semifinals. Allyson Felix, Lee Muna and Lashaunte'a Moore qualified for the 200 semifinal.

In the men's 400 hurdles, Bennie Brazell, James Carter and Angelo Taylor qualified in the top nine.

After five events of the decathlon, Bryan Clay of Azusa, Calif., was third, trailing leader Dmitriy Karpov of Kazakstan by 135 points. Reigning world champion Tom Pappas of Knoxville, Tenn., was fifth, 274 behind.

Notes

• Hungary's Robert Fazekas won the men's discus with an Olympic-record toss of 232 feet, 8 inches (70.93 meters), beating the past two gold medalists, Lithuania's Virgilijus Alekna and Hungary's Zoltan Kovago.

• Frangoise Mbango Etone of Cameroon won gold with a women's triple jump of 50-2-1/2 (15.30 meters).

• Kelly Holmes of Great Britain won the women's 800 final in 1:56.38, edging Hasna Benhassi of Morocco and Jolanda Ceplak of Slovenia (both 1:56.43). Jearl Miles-Clark of the U.S. finished sixth.

• Athanasia Tsoumeleka of Greece won gold in the women's 20-kilometer walk. Australia's Jane Saville, disqualified after leading as she approached the stadium in Sydney four years ago, took bronze.

• Meseret Defar of Ethiopia won the women's 5,000 final in 14:45.65, followed by Isabella Ochichi of Kenya and Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia.

The San Jose Mercury News

and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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