Editor's note: Fresh off his gold medal, LaShawn Merritt returns to the track today to compete for another gold medal in the 1,600 relay. Jeremy Wariner and David Neville -- who along with Merritt helped the U.S. complete the 400 sweep, also will run. The fourth leg will probably be run by Angelo Taylor who won gold in the 400 hurdles. Here's what LaShawn had to say.

Running the 1,600 relay

The 4 by 4 is an amazing event. And the United States has been known to be dominant in it. We’re going to line up or best quarter milers and go for it.

The world record of 2:54.29

If things play out well, we should get the world record.

What leg will you run

I might just ask to be on the first leg so I can run and then be done.

I’m not even worried about it.

But whatever leg they give me, I plan to give it my all for the team.

 Editor's note: The men's 400 meters has been contested on 26 occasions in Olympic competition, with Team USA winning an astounding 19 gold medals, 12 silver and 10 bronze, and those totals should increase in Beijing following a sweep of the medals at last year's World Championships in Osaka. At approximately 9:20 a.m. (U.S. time) Thursday, LaShawn Merritt tries to become the 20th American to bring home the gold. (Watch for results in the track and field channel.)

In this blog entry, Merritt talks about his big day, including going for the record.

Semifinal race

I have a lot left. I just tried to run a smart race so I wasn’t giving it my all. I just wanted to set my race up so I could come home smooth. And that’s what I did.

Jeremy Wariner

Being that we’re all on the same fitness level, it’s going to come down to who runs a smarter race. I have to look on what I can improve on and what he did. And I know he’s going to look at what I did.

The world record

At the Olympics, weird things happen. Guys run faster than they’ve ever run before because it’s the Olympics.

The world record would be nice but it’s not in my schedule for this year. If it happens, it happens. I want to be an Olympic champion and it’s going to be about executing and crossing that finish line first.

The crowds

The crowds here have been amazing. I’ve never been in front of a crowd this big. It can scare some people and it can help others. It definitely helps me out.

Preparing for the finals

You have to run your race but you also have to know who takes it out and who finishes strong.

Nothing is guaranteed and that’s why I say anything can happen on any given day. So I just have to be smart about things.

Editor's note: LaShawn Merritt successfully advanced through the first round of the 400 meters Sunday night. He won his heat in a time of 44.96 seconds. He could have run much faster but coasted the last 70 meters. Merritt talks about the first round of the 400 meters as he prepares for Tuesday’s semifinal. He’ll run in the third of three heats. He also talks about the amazing world-record performance of Jamaica’s Usain Bolt in the 100 meters.

First round

I’ve been here for awhile so it felt really good to finally run. I felt pretty good. I wanted to run around 45 flat or faster. That was the plan and that’s what I did. So I felt good.

I felt relaxed and I just wanted to get through with using the least amount of energy. I wanted to get to the 200-meter mark and then see where everybody else was.

I’m enjoying it but now it’s time to close the deal and get medals in the 400 and 4 by 400.

Usain Bolt’s record run

It was unreal. I’ve never watched a race before where I was so stunned. It was really unbelievable. It was amazing.

I saw (former Green Run runner) Andre Cason because he’s here coaching with the Dominican Republic team and he said (Bolt) shut it down after 60 meters. He said the guy could probably run 9.5."

On former teammate and Norfolk State runner Chris Brown

(Brown won his qualifying heat in 44.79 to advance to semifinals.)

I know Chris because we used to train together under (Steve) Riddick when I first moved back home after leaving East Carolina.

He’s going to be running against Jeremy (Wariner) in the semifinals.

Love you all and thanks for the support

R.I.P Twan

Editor's note: LaShawn Merritt’s quest for gold begins Sunday evening at 9 p.m. (Eastern time) when he competes in the first round of the 400 meters. One Australian newspaper calls his head-to-head showdown with Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner one of the must-see races of the Olympics. He and Wariner are in the same Olympic Village but you won’t see them together sight-seeing around Beijing.

The competition

When I see him, I say what’s up and how you feeling?

But you don’t want to get too close (to your competition) because at the end of the day, I’m trying to beat him.

It’s all about respect and we’re not poor sportsmen. We acknowledge each other but that’s it.

You don’t want to have a conversation and get too comfortable.

Going for gold

Winning the gold would feel real good because I was No. 2 in the world last year (World Championships) behind Jeremy. So I know what it’s like to be at a meet championship and get second.

That win over him in Berlin was a big confidence booster but I didn’t let it go to my head.

To get respect I knew I had to keep doing it over and over because you don’t become a champion just by beating a person one time.

But I don’t want to (get second) again. Second in the world is not bad at all. But after coming off a year when you’re second, you always want to be No. 1.

Love you all and thanks for the support

R.I.P Twan

My first Olympics

It feels good. It really hasn’t hit me yet. I'm kind of taking things one step at a time.

I know it’s the Olympic Games and I know what I have to do. My focus right now is about getting through the first round of the 400 meters (which is Sunday night -- U.S. time).

The waiting game

I’m trying to enjoy it as much as possible before I really have to get ready and get into my mode.

Right now is the time for me to really chill out and take it all in.

Passing time

I share a suite with 400 hurdler Angelo Taylor. The room beside us has 110 hurdler Terrence Trammell and sprinter Darvis Patton. And then there’s sprinter Wallace Spearmon and hurdler Bershawn Jackson. And then across the hall is sprinters Shawn Crawford and Walter Dix.

We don’t hang out but if they’re going to eat, they’ll knock on my door and ask if I want to go.

It's fun. It’s almost like being in college again.

Training and the smog

Training has gone well so far. It finally rained so it kind of cleared the air.

Before that the air was so thick. When we first got here, it wasn’t that bad. But other days it always looks misty.

If you look at a building far away, you can barely see it because of the smog. It’s like it's foggy outside.

When I was training, I really didn't feel it until I stopped running.

When I'm in the United States, it takes like five minutes to recover after a workout. But here I need eight or nine minutes to recover because the air is so thick.

Love you all and thanks for the support

R.I.P Twan

(Editor's note: Merritt has five days left before he begins competition in the 400 meters on Sunday.)

Opening ceremonies

The opening ceremonies were really cool but it was long.

We left the Olympic Village at 5:15 p.m. but we didn’t start walking to the stadium until about 9.

We went to this building where the president addressed us. That took a long time. Then we had to go to another facility.

Then we left there and went to the stadium. There was a lot of stopping and walking.

Once we got to the stadium it was crazy. There were so many people and so many lights. And people were cheering for us. It was really cool.

Usual day

It usually consists of waking up around 8:30 or 9:30 in the morning. I have to walk like 15 minutes to catch the shuttle to Beijing University.

We have our own building. We have our own track. The basketball team has its own gym, too. That way we don’t have to wait to use the gym or track with the other countries. We also have our own American chefs.

I have seen a lot since I've been here including going to see the Great Wall of China.

I’ve also gone to some of the venues but they are far away.

I’ve been to a couple of basketball games, including seeing the U.S. play China. I've also gone to see boxing.

The basketball games were like 30 minutes away and the boxing was like 45 minutes away from the village.

So as you go to these events, you’re actually touring the city. And it gives you a chance to take it all in.

Living conditions

Where we stay is like a dorm room. We don’t have TV or use to wireless but we do have a cafeteria that is open to us 24 hours a day. It has international food. Mediterranean food and Asian food.

My favorite meal so far was salmon, mashed potatoes, broccoli and a salad.

We also can video games, rend DVDs or bikes. But it's been pretty cool.

I'll start getting focused on Saturday.

Talk to you soon

Love you all and thanks for the support

R.I.P Twan

Barring injury LaShawn Merritt and Jeremy Wariner could possibly make their head-to-head competition one of the best rivalries for years to come.

Wariner is 24 years old and Merritt is 22, which means both have a realistic chance to compete in two more Olympics.

Both are ranked in the top 10 on the all-time 400 list. Wariner -- who has run eight sub-44 second races -- is ranked third at 43.45, while Merritt is eighth at 43.96.

So what does Merritt think about being the face of the 400 meters for years to come?

"It can be pressure for some people. But I know it’s a business and I know what I have to do. I try not to think too much about it. I just go out and run to my best.

"I like what I do and I’m dedicated. I know my body and I’m not going to do anything to wear my body out. My coach (Dwayne Miller) will make sure that I don’t do that.

"It feels good. It keeps me wanting to do better. I want people to continue to see my face, so there’s no room for slacking. My face is already out there. The better I do, the more it will be out there."

LaShawn Merritt was recently featured in Sports Illustrated and Ebony magazine as a rising track phenom.

And later this month, he'll also appear in Bachelor Magazine and Hip Hop Weekly.

According to Marcus Sims, Merritt's publicists and marketing advisor, Merritt is signed with Nike but Sims says Team Jordan and Adidas have also called about his client.

Merritt has also been approached regarding several endorsements, including from Vitamin Water and Red Bull.

Merritt hopes this is just the start of it.

“I want to do stuff like that so I can not only get myself out there but also track and field. I think I’m so much more than just a track and field athlete. On the track I don’t really get to show my personality, my style or swagger. I want to show people the other side of me."

R.I.P Twan

I will be having an Olympic send-off party on Friday at Cavalier Manor Field from 5-7 p.m.

It’s located off of Greenwood Drive in Portsmouth. Come on out for this family event. We will have food, giveaways and I'll be signing autographs.

Before leaving South Hampton Roads, I took some time to answer questions about the air quality in Beijing and the food.

Athletes from around the world will be converging in Beijing next month for the 2008 Olympic Games. It’s been well publicized that athletes may be competing in thick soot and smog, dangerous ozone levels, and in an air quality ranked among the world’s worst. Athletics Australia was so concerned about it that the track team will remain in training camps in Japan and Hong Kong until their competitions. Are you concerned at all with the air quality and how it may affect your performance?

The way I look at it, I’ve waited four years for this and I’ve made it. When I go over there, the only thing I’ll be thinking about is getting through the preliminary rounds of the 400 meters. If the air quality is a factor then everybody will be breathing it and I’m going to let them stress about it. I’m not going to worry about it at all. I’m just going to line up and run. There’s no time for excuses. If the air is bad, then all of us will be breathing it in.

Another concern for some athletes is what will you eat? No one wants to risk food poisoning or getting sick at this level. What will you do to make sure you don’t get sick?

The United States Olympic Committee is going to be doing a lot of stuff for us. I know we’ll be staying in the Olympic Village but they are going to have stuff for us. I’ve also heard that (Olympic officials) will be serving food from many different cultures in the cafeteria. But when I travel, I usually take fruit cups, oatmeal, ensure drinks and tuna fish.

Love you all and thanks for your support

R.I.P TWAN

On Monday I got invited to spend the day at the White House with President Bush. It was great. He showed me around the White House and we all ate dinner together. There were about 12 athletes there who will be going to China, too. I was the only one representing the track and field team. It was an honor.

1. How good is it to finally be home?

It feels good to be home. I got to see my family and friends. And I got to eat food I like.

2. How long where you gone and what countries did you visit?

I was only gone for two weeks. I went to Rome, Greece and Paris.

3. You recently ran against Jeremy Wariner for the fourth time this season. He evened up the head-to-head meeting at two wins apiece. Talk about the race?

I mean, they both were prep races to stay in shape and work on things before the Olympic games.

4. Are you concerned at all that you lost to him?

Not at all.

5. What do you need to do to get ready for him and others as you get ready for the Olympics?

I just have to continue to train hard and keep being hungry for victory.

6. Losing is never good but do you think it will help motivate you and make you more hungry as you prepare for the Olympics?

Yes, that's all coming in second makes you do. I never see it as losing because I didn't lose. I just wasn't the first one to finish. I don't like saying the word losing much.

7. You return home to focus on the getting ready for the Olympics. Will you have any appearances where your local fans will get a chance to meet you?

I'm going to have a going away party but I may set something up so my Portsmouth family can give me their blessings and send me off.

Love you all and thanks for the support

 V.A Baby

 R.I.P Twan