LaShawn Merritt did all he could at the IAAF World Championships, but a third world title in the 400m just wasn’t in the cards.
The Portsmouth, Va. native battled a foot injury and advanced to the semifinals with a time of 45 seconds flat. But when the competition ratcheted up in the semis, the foot issue kept the two-time 400 champion out of the finals.
“I’ve got something going on with my foot that I’ve been dealing with it, and I’m supposed to be resting,” LaShawn said after the semifinals. “But I’m a competitor. I told my coaches and my agent that I wanted to come out and just see. I didn’t come in with any real expectations. Now I just go in and congratulate and hype the guys up for the final.”
LaShawn is still up in the air for the men’s 4x400m relay, saying that he’ll assess the status of his foot and see what’s best for the team. Just one American runner, Fred Kerley, advanced to the finals for the 400.