US Men Sweep 400

LaShawn Merritt stunned teammate and rival Jeremy Wariner in the men's 400-meter race today, eclipsing the favorite by nearly a full second to take gold in the US medals sweep. Wariner, the defending champion, turned the final corner to find Merritt far in front of him, reports the Los Angeles Times. David Neville had to dive to secure bronze.

"People said I was the underdog," Merritt said. "But I believed I could do it, and that is the first step in winning." The runner said lengthening his stride helped. "I came here and said I'm just going to open up and let it fly, and that's how it played out," he added.
(More 2008 Beijing Olympics stories.)