Merritt’s determination overcomes biggest hurdle
SACRAMENTO — Aries Merritt will be making a return to the world championships. This time, with a working kidney.
World-record holder Merritt finished second behind Aleec Harris in the 110-meter hurdles at the U.S. track and field championships Sunday. But his place — as long as it was top three — didn’t really matter. He just wanted a spot.
Merritt, who set the record of 12.80 seconds in Brussels in 2012, won bronze at the 2015 world championships in Beijing with his kidneys barely functioning because of a genetic disorder. He received a kidney transplant from his sister less than a week later. Now he’s ready for the worlds, being held where he won an Olympic gold medal during the 2012 London Games.
“I always felt once I was healthy, all it would take is for me to put in the work,” Merritt said. “... I haven’t been able to put in the work in two years.”
Harris proved uncatchable as he finished in 13.24 seconds. Merritt was 0.07 seconds behind.
Merritt, 31, said he knew he would be able to make a strong return to the hurdles — even if others didn’t buy in.
“I was told, ‘You’ll never come back to the sport with the medications you have to take that are lifelong,’ ” said Merritt. “It was something that went in one ear and out there other.
“No matter what someone may tell you, whether it’s a doctor or not, you can’t give up hope. You always have to stay positive and look at the brighter picture.” Where’s the beef ? Ajee Wilson, who was stripped of her American indoor record in the 800 for testing positive for zeranol, won the event Sunday in 1:57.78.
Wilson’s 1:58.27 at the Millrose Games won’t count, but the 23-year-old avoided suspension because the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency determined she had the anabolic agent in her system after ingesting “tainted beef.” Fast and deep: Olympic 400 hurdles gold medalist Dalilah Muhammad won the event in 52.64 seconds, with the top three all under 53 seconds. Shamier Little was second in 52.75, Stanford alum Kori Carter third in 52.95 and in sixth was 17-year-old Sydney McLaughlin, an Olympian after her junior year in high school. McLaughlin’s 53.82 is a world under-20 record. Two times second: Just like in the 100, Christian Coleman took the early lead in the 200. And just like in the 100, he was caught at the last moment. Coleman was out-leaned by Ameer Webb, whose 20.09 won by 0.01. Elijah Hall-Thompson, who’s coached at the University of Houston by Carl Lewis, was third.