Showdown set as Merritt, Wariner cruise into final

From staff and wire reports

BEIJING

LaShawn Merritt made a big to-do about staying on the track and watching Jeremy Wariner's first-round heat Sunday.

Wariner displayed no such interest in his rival.

He blew off Merritt's 400-meter semifinal Tuesday, sending his message by not bothering to watch. The message: The defending gold medalist is still the man to beat and that Merritt is merely the challenger.

"I'm ready to go," Wariner said. "I got my spot. Now it's show time."

About the closest Merritt came to his usual brashness was saying he wants to beat Wariner. He sounded trash-talked out.

Portsmouth's Merritt has become a recent and recurring thorn in Wariner's side, beating him at trials in Oregon, talking about dethroning him incessantly and finishing just a hair faster than him Tuesday.

Neither looked particularly taxed doing so, hinting again that this race is a two-man affair.

"I knew where I was at in my training and I knew what I could do," said Wariner, who ran 44.15. "I was just out there to qualify, run a good time and work on some things for the final. I did everything that I wanted to and I'm real impressed with the way I ran today. It was a real good time with the way I ran. I'm excited about Thursday."

Two heats later, Merritt bested that by .03.

"I was pretty sure it was going to take about a 44.3 or 44.2 to set myself up for the finals," Merritt said. "And 44.12 won it and I'm pleased with that.

"You can't argue with 44.12 in the semis."

Merritt won't be the only runner with ties to South Hampton Roads. Former Norfolk State All-American Chris Brown of the Bahamas also qualified for the finals with the third-fastest time. The 29-year-old was timed in 44.59.

It's not likely to be one of those races where they hug at the end because both are dying to beat the other.

The rivalry is one of the bright spots for USA Track and Field at this moment.

And while hardly Ali-Frazier, this is what qualifies as must-see TV for track. Everybody wants to know who is going to win: The quiet champ or his spitfire challenger?

"If I win and he gets the silver, that is great," Merritt said. "I'm going to leave it in God's hands and try to run the fastest 400 that I've ever run."

And what if Wariner wins? What if Merritt has to settle for silver?

"I'm going to congratulate him and move on," he said.

But did he really believe Wariner could beat him?

"No" was his blunt response.

"I train to win," Merritt said. "You got to believe. The first step in winning is believing. I believe I can do it."

Wariner looked and sounded relaxed Tuesday, even teasing everybody with talk of special spikes for the finals.

"I got something else for you," he said. "Like I said, I'm ready to go."

McClatchy Newspapers and staff writer Larry Rubama contributed to this report.