by Larry EderThis is from the archives.
I wrote this article three days after I started writing RunBlogRun in 2007, boy, was I wrong! Michael Johnson’s 43.18, one of the most beautiful and iconic races that I have ever seen, is still there.
Jeremy Wariner wins in Osaka, August 2007, photo by PhotoRun.net
Jeremy Wariner was in a great place in his long career in 2007, and his win in Osaka was quite impressive, but he did not break MJ’s World Record. Now, I see how unfair it is to always challenge athletes to break World Records. While it is easy to say “Records are made to be broken”, the important part of our sport is the racing. The battles between Jeremy Wariner and LaShawn Merritt were amazing and had many fans, like me, excited for each time that they raced!
Jeremy Wariner, adidas NYC, June 2013, photo by PhotoRun.net
Jeremy Wariner has gone out like a champion. He has more than likely raced one of his last races. We wish him the very best and thank him for a decade plus of amazing racing. Enjoy the time capsule into 2007.
When will Jeremy Wariner get the 400 meter record?
by Larry Eder (first published on June 13, 2007)
Jeremy Wariner has been on the scene since 2004, when he made everyone notice at the Olympic Games, with his victory over 400 meters. In 2005, the next year, the word on the street was how many guys were going to beat Jeremy, but Wariner proved them wrong, winning in Helsinki as well!
In 2006, Jeremy began to experiment with the 200 meters, as he considered running both the 200 and 400 meters in world competition. It was about this time that the 200 meters began to erupt. First, there was Xavier Carter at 19.63, then there was Tyson Gay at 19.71, and then there was Wallace Spearmon with some impressive wins and times. The three of them have kept the 200 meters going crazy!
I wonder sometimes if Coach Clyde Hart has Jeremy running the 200 meters to keep him grounded. While there is competition in the 400 meters, the competition in the 200 meters is excruciating!
Last summer, Jeremy got to 20.10 in the 200 meters, and 43.6 in the 400 meters. What will he do in 2007? Wariner started off May with a 44.02 in Osaka, then ran 44.40 and 44.61.
The 200 meters became more complicated this year, with Walter Dix running a 19.69 in the NCAA regionals, Wallace Spearmon winning in 19.91 and 19.81 at adidas and Reebok, and then barely loosing to Xavier Carter, 20.23-20.25 at Nike Prefontaine. Wariner was in the 200 meter race in Eugene, Oregon on June 10, where he took a sobering sixth place in 20.75.
Jeremy Wariner has the talent and strength to break Micheal Johnson’s 400 meter record of 43.18, set in Sevilla, Spain in 1999. I remember that race. After his sterling 300 meters in the semi-final, I knew he could get the record.
Wariner’s style is different, even with the same coach. Wariner looks like an 800 meter runner, and sometime track experts wonder how fast he could run the 800 meters? Jeremy just looks at that question and frowns. He is not interested. Wariner will bring the 400 meter record down to 42.9, and that my friends, will be a race to behold!
