In the history of track and field, there are a multitude of iconic moments worth having a look into. Some of these moments are so powerful that they transcend the tracks and get engraved in the hearts of fans. One such significant event came from the 2008 World Athletics Final in Stuttgart. Two titans of the sprinting world captivated and enchanted the sporting world with their athleticism and perseverance.

Jeremy Wariner and LaShawn Merritt went head-to-head in the 400-meter event in Stuttgart. The duel between the two became one of the top stories to come out of the athletic world in 2008. Remembering the iconic race, 4x Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, took to Twitter and reminisced by re sharing a video of the iconic race.

Clinching a win with just one one-hundredth of a second

Michael Johnson, a champion in his own right, informed his audience through his caption that Jeremy Wariner was actually his client. He acknowledged that he would quite easily point to a mistake in a race, and both champions would talk about how to avoid it in the future. He further wrote, “This was one of those races with no major mistake. Just great execution and patience from Lashawn.” Indeed, there was nothing else that Wariner could have done in order to win the race.

This is one of the closest races in the history of the men’s 400-meter event. Emerging out of the final turn, it was Wariner who was leading the race, but slowly and steadily Merritt was closing in on him. The last few seconds of the race had both sprinters locked in battle, running side by side. With both of them eyeing the finish line, Meritt went head first to clinch the top spot with a mere fraction of a second.

It was a very thrilling and very close affair, too close to call, and eventually, the cameras helped with the result. Their final timings were 44.50 vs 44.51, with the pole position going to LaShawn Merritt. Both athletes always had a way of pushing the other and produce the best possible displays for the fans.

Both sprinters shared a history of one-upmanship

Fans of track and field are aware of the rivalry that existed between Jeremy Wariner and LaShawn Merritt. It was actually a healthy competition that kept both sprinters on their toes. Wariner himself believed that having a rivalry is great for the sport and for him personally. Back in 2008 in a press conference, Wariner said, “When I go to the track I know LaShawn will be there working as hard as I am.” Meritt agreed that having a healthy competition with Wariner is good for him when he said, “Competitions with Jeremy always produce great results.”. 

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Their race ended in 2008, but its impact can be felt even to this day. Both these athletes went on to win multiple Olympic gold medals and collected numerous accolades in their careers. Their greatness and legacy are what every track and field athlete strives for.

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