Merritt: The big target is London
EVEN THOUGH Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa set a world record in front of him in the Olympics, American LaShawn Merritt says his big target is to win the 400 metres at the World Championships in London this August.
According to Merritt, the new record of 43.03 seconds won’t change his approach to training or racing too much. However, he said, it does mean that a fast time will be needed to win.
Speaking at the end of a Caribbean tour with meets in Grenada, the Bahamas, Guadeloupe, and Jamaica, Merritt described the Olympic final as a great race.
“When I look back at it,” he recalled. “There’s a couple of things I wish I would a done different, but to say I was on pace to run 43.03, I don’t think I was on pace to run 43.03.”
His bronze medal time was 43.85 seconds, with Grenada’s Kirani James taking the silver.
“It came to that last 100,” he reviewed. “And I think I kind of pressed it too much thinking that he was going to fade.”
“He didn’t fade,” Merritt recounted of the South African’s strong finish.
HIS APPROACH
Stating that he approaches the sport meet by meet and year by year, the 30-year-old Merritt outlined his goals for 2017.
“The record has changed from 43.18 to 43.03, so that’s the new target,” he itemised. “The big target is obviously London and just getting there and winning and executing a race,” he listed. “But I know it’s gonna take a fast time.”
Merritt, the 2008 Olympic champion and 2009 World champion, won’t change his approach to his preparation this season, but said, “It’s just that now there is someone who is capable of running that fast, 43.03 or 43.18, both are extremely fast, so each year, I just train to stay healthy and learn a little more each race.”
Merritt, who has a personal best of 43.65 seconds, has raced regularly in the Caribbean, including at the Jamaica Invitational over the years and explained why.
“One, it’s not far from the US, and all these Caribbean islands love and respect the sport of track and field. There’s always great energy, great food and great people,” he said.