LaShawn Merritt (born June 27, 1986) is an American sprinter who specializes in the 400 meters. LaShawn is a native of Portsmouth, Virginia where he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School. LaShawn spent one year as a college athlete at East Carolina University before signing an endorsement contract with Nike, making him no longer eligible to compete in an NCAA event. He is currently enrolled at Old Dominion University in Norfolk,Virginia.[1] Merritt claimed the silver medal at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka.
Merritt won the 400m at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. A close race between Merritt and Jeremy Wariner was expected,[2] though it ultimately ended in a rout. The margin between Merritt's first-place finish and Wariner's second-place finish was the largest in an Olympic 400m final.[3] His time of 43.75 makes him the fifth fastest 400m runner in history.[4]
Achievements
Personal bests - Outdoor
Personal bests - Indoor
References
- ^ http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Merritt_LaShawn.asp LaShawn Merritt
- ^ Forde, Pat (2008-08-08), Hold on to your medals ... The Dash is checking in from Beijing, ESPN, <http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3523021>. Retrieved on 8 August 2008
- ^ Hersh, Philip (2008-08-21), In the men's 400 meters, LaShawn Merritt's a fast learner, Los Angeles Times, <http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-olymentrack22-2008aug22,0,7811586.story>. Retrieved on 21 August 2008
- ^ IAAF International Association of Athletics Federations - IAAF.org - Statistics - Top Lists
External links
Official Web Site of LaShawn Merritt
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Olympic champions in men's 4×400 m relay |
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1908 United States: (medley) William F. Hamilton, Nathaniel Cartmell, John Taylor, Mel Sheppard · 1912 United States: Mel Sheppard, Edward Lindberg, Ted Meredith, Charles Reidpath · 1920 Great Britain: Cecil Griffiths, Robert Lindsay, John Ainsworth-Davies, Guy Butler · 1924 United States: Commodore Cochran, Alan Helffrich, Oliver MacDonald, William Stevenson · 1928 United States: George Baird, Emerson Spencer, Frederick Alderman, Ray Barbuti · 1932 United States: Ivan Fuqua, Edgar Ablowich, Karl Warner, Bill Carr · 1936 Great Britain: Frederick Wolff, Godfrey Rampling, William Roberts, Godfrey Brown · 1948 United States: Arthur Harnden, Clifford Bourland, Roy Cochran, Mal Whitfield · 1952 Jamaica: Arthur Wint, Leslie Laing, Herb McKenley, George Rhoden · 1956 United States: Charlie Jenkins, Louis Jones, Jesse Mashburn, Tom Courtney · 1960 United States: Jack Yerman, Earl Young, Glenn Davis, Otis Davis · 1964 United States: Ollan Cassell, Michael Larrabee, Ulis Williams, Henry Carr · 1968 United States: Vincent Matthews, Ron Freeman, Larry James, Lee Evans · 1972 Kenya: Charles Asati, Hezahiah Nyamau, Robert Ouko, Julius Sang · 1976 United States: Herman Frazier, Benjamin Brown, Fred Newhouse, Maxie Parks · 1980 Soviet Union: Remigijus Valiulis, Mikhail Linge, Nikolay Chernetsky, Viktor Markin · 1984 United States: Sunder Nix, Ray Armstead, Alonzo Babers, Antonio McKay · 1988 United States: Danny Everett, Steve Lewis, Kevin Robinzine, Butch Reynolds · 1992 United States: Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Michael Johnson, Steve Lewis · 1996 United States: LaMont Smith, Alvin Harrison, Derek Mills, Anthuan Maybank · 2000 Vacant: · 2004 United States: Otis Harris, Derrick Brew, Jeremy Wariner, Darold Williamson · 2008 United States: LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, David Neville, Jeremy Wariner
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