USA sweeps men's 400m

ATHENS - For four years, the track world has posed the eternal, if annoying, question, "who will fill Michael Johnson's shoes?"

Track world, meet Jeremy Wariner, Otis Harris and Derrick Brew, the 2004 Olympic gold, silver and bronze medalists in the 400 meters.

Running what his coach, Clyde Hart, called a perfectly executed race, Wariner (Waco, Texas) ran even with Harris entering the stretch before pulling away for the win in a personal-best time of 44.00 seconds. The 22-year-old Harris (Columbia, S.C.), who ran in lane 5 had made up the stagger on lane 6 by the 200-meter mark, finished strongly in second in 44.16, also a personal best. The veteran of the group at age 26 and with two world championships relay golds to his credit, Brew (Raleigh, N.C.) was third in 44.42.

The trio's performance was filled with milestones:

- The 20-year-old Wariner became the youngest gold medalist in the event since 19-year-old Steve Lewis won in 1988.

- The U.S. got its first sweep in the 400 since 1988, when Lewis, former world record holder Butch Reynolds and Danny Everett went 1-2-3.

- It was the first U.S. sweep in any Olympic track & field since Carl Lewis, Mike Powell and Joe Greene swept the long jump in 1992.

- Sure, the gold medal was nifty, but Wariner's first remark to Hart after the race: "I got the school record." Who formerly held the Baylor school record? Michael Johnson.

In a stunning women's 800-meter final, American record holder Jearl Miles-Clark (Knoxville, Tenn.) turned in a valiant race to place sixth in 1:57.27. The 1993 400 meter world champion, Miles-Clark kept the pace honest by leading the field through the first 400m in 56.37. She held her lead until the final stretch, when the race played out more like a 100-meter sprint - albeit at a somewhat slower rate - than a middle-distance race.

Kelly Holmes of Great Britain moved into the lead as she, defending gold medalist Maria Mutola of Mozambique, Miles-Clark and Tatyana Adrianova of Russia ran virtually four abreast with 20 meters to go. As the quartet battled through fatigue and lactic acid, world indoor record holder Jolanda Ceplak of Slovenia and Hasna Benhassi of Morocoo began to move up from the outside.

When the clock stopped, the winner as well as the crowd looked on in amazement. Holmes had won the gold in 1:56.38 and could barely believe her achievement. Benhassi surged to second in a national record 1:56.43, while Ceplak matched that time, placing third in a photo-finish that would have done any sprinter proud. Mutola, practically unbeatable for years, finished out of the medals in fourth at 1:56.51, a development that was as astonishing as Holmes' win. Andrianova finished fifth in 1:56.88, followed by Miles-Clark.

In Monday's third final featuring an American, Casey Malone (Fort Collins, Colo.) placed seventh in the men's discus with a toss of 64.33m/211-0 on his fourth attempt. Hungary's Robert Fazekas crushed the Olympic record with his winning throw of 70.93m/232-8, with Virgilijus Alkena of Lithuania second at 69.89m/229-3. Zoltan Kovago of Hungary was third in 67.09/220-1.

After day 1 of the decathlon, Olympic Trials champion Bryan Clay (Azusa, Calif.) stood in third place overall with 4,554 points. World champion Tom Pappas (Knoxville, Tenn.) was fifth with 4,415 and Paul Terek (Livonia, Mich.) was 16^th with 4,060. In Monday afternoon and evening competition, Clay had marks of 15.23m/49-11.75 in the shot put (804 points), 2.06m/6-9 in the high jump (859 points) and 49.19 in the 400 (852). Pappas had a season-best throw of 16.17m/53-0.75 in the shot put (862 points) which moved him from 10^th to 4^th, then high jumped 2.03m/6-8 (831) and ran in the 400 in 47.97(911). Terek threw 15.15m/49-8.5 in the shot (799), jumped 1.94m/6-4.25 and ran 49.56 (835) in the 400.

Prelim action

Joanna Hayes (Los Angeles) and Melissa Morrison (Columbia, S.C.) both had career-best days in the women's 100m hurdles semifinal as both qualified for Tuesday's final. Hayes, who finished second at the Olympic Trials by less than a hundredth of a second, won the second semi in a personal-best time of 12.48 seconds, the fastest time of the day. The 2000 Olympic bronze medalist, Morrison tied her personal best from 1998 with her runner-up time of 12.53 seconds. She finished behind reigning world champion Perdita Felicien of Canada (12.49).

All three American women's 200-meter runners will be in Tuesday's semifinal round, thanks to wins by Muna Lee (Baton Rouge, La.) and Allyson Felix (Santa Clarita, Calif.) in their heats and a time qualification by LaShaunte'a Moore (Fayetteville, Ark.) Lee, 22, won heat 2 in 22.74 seconds; Felix, 19, won heat 3 in 22.69; and Moore, 21, was fourth in heat 1 in 22.96 to advance.

Defending gold medalist Angelo Taylor (Decatur, Ga.) won heat 1 of the men's 400m hurdles first round in 48.79 seconds, while Bennie Brazell (Baton Rouge, La.) was second in heat 2 (48.57) and Olympic Trials champion James Carter (Hampton, Va.) won heat 3 in 48.64. All three will run in Tuesday's semifinals.

For complete results, visit www.usatf.org

Team USA Olympic medal count, track & field

As of August 23

Gold (2)

Jeremy Wariner, 20, Waco, Texas, M400m, 8/23

Justin Gatlin, 22, Raleigh, N.C., M100m, 8/22

Silver (4)

Otis Harris, 22, Columbia, S.C., M400m, 8/23

Matt Hemingway, 31, Littleton, Colo., MHJ, 8/22

Lauryn Williams, 20, Miami, Fla., W100m, 8/21

Adam Nelson, 29, Athens, Ga., MSP, 8/18

Bronze (3)

Derrick Brew, 26, Baton Rouge, La., M400m, 8/23

Deena Kastor, 31, Mammoth Lakes, Calif., WMarathon, 8/22

Maurice Greene, 30, Granada Hills, Calif., M100m, 8/22