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August 23, 2004 9:24 pm

U.S. men sweep 400 meters

By DAVID WOODS

The Indianapolis Star

ATHENS, Greece - Jeremy Wariner must have been oblivious to the freight he carried.

He was supposed to uphold the tradition of Michael Johnson and Baylor University. He was to break cultural barriers. He was to restore the 400 meters. He was to uphold national honor.

That's a load to put on a slightly built Texan who is 20 years old. Wariner reduced the task to its basics.

``Hard work and practice pay off,'' he said.

Wariner won the 400 meters Monday night at the Olympic Games, leading an American sweep of the medals.

His time of 44.00 seconds was one-hundredth from making him the eighth man in the 43s. It was the fastest since Johnson won his second Olympic gold in 43.84 at Sydney in 2000.

Wariner came into the Olympics with the world's best 2004 time, 44.37. He watched on television when Johnson won gold at Atlanta in 1996.

``That's a three-peat for me,'' Baylor coach Clyde Hart said, calling Wariner's race a perfectly executed one.

Behind Wariner was another rising star, Otis Harris, 22. Harris led through 350 meters and won the silver in 44.16. Derrick Brew took bronze in 44.42.

Fourth-place finisher Alleyne Francique of Grenada said he had never seen a white man run so fast. Wariner has heard statements like that since high school.

``I've said it before. It doesn't matter what race, gender or ethnicity you are. It's your ability that shows how you run,'' Wariner said.

Harris said athletics are a good place to teach about stereotypes.

``No matter whether it's African American, white American, any race around the world, when you're breaking down stereotypes, it's a great thing,'' Harris said. ``I commend Jeremy.''

Johnson is in Athens as an analyst for the British Broadcasting Corp. He hugged Wariner trackside during the victory lap.

Johnson cautioned that Wariner should not be used ``as a lab rat'' to sort out cultural or physiological differences.

Wariner became the first white American sprinter to win an Olympic medal since 1964. White sprinters from other nations have done so since then.

Two whites, Ollan Cassell and the late Michael Larrabee, were on the U.S. 1,600-meter relay team that won in Tokyo. Cassell became the longtime head of USA Track & Field.

``I think it's absolutely delightful,'' Cassell said in a telephone interview from Indianapolis. ``I wouldn't say it's a breakthrough. But after 40 years, it's a good thing to happen.

``It'll stimulate people's interest in the 400 meters and track and field.''

Johnson's interest in track is such that he was dismayed by a decline in the 400 meters after he retired. The three medalists ``brought it back in style,'' he said.

Although the 400 is an event the United States has ruled - 18 golds out of 24 Olympics - the sweep was just the fourth. Others were in 1988, 1968 and 1904.

Wariner originally wanted to play wide receiver for Baylor but was not offered a football scholarship. He chose track instead, and he improved by more than a second this year after a foot injury hampered his freshman season.

Wariner is the first ever to win a grand slam of the 400: victories in the NCAA indoors and outdoors, Olympic Trials and Olympic Games.

Although Johnson and Wariner don't resemble each other in many ways, they share a stick-to-business approach to track. Wariner skipped the opening ceremony so as not to interrupt training. His lack of international experience was inconsequential.

``That was the biggest question coming in. How would he keep his focus?'' Hart said. ``I was more worried about that than he was.''

The most demonstrative Wariner gets is to wear sunglasses and earrings. His post-race reaction was subdued.

The three Americans said they spoke about a sweep, but also about how to respond afterward. Over-the-top celebrations by sprinters at Sydney were met with disapproval in the United States.

``Just the expressions on our faces were all we needed to show,'' Wariner said. ``Also, we knew we had one more race out in front of us.''

Before track began, U.S. coach George Williams said the 1,600 relay team could approach the world record. Wariner will go for a second gold Saturday.

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