LaShawn Merritt of USA wins 400m final (© Getty Images)
Precociously talented teenager LaShawn Merritt, the man with the fastest 400m time in the world so far this year, will face 2004 Olympic silver and bronze medallists Otis Harris and Derrick Brew at the Prefontaine Classic - IAAF Grand Prix - at Hayward Field on 4 June.
Merritt, 18, who took a scintillating 44.66 win at the Jamaica International a week ago will face Harris, at age 22, and Brew, an "ancient" 27, who are respectively second and third in the current IAAF World Rankings for the event
Currently standing 28th in the same ranking, Merritt brought home three golds from last year’s World Junior Championships, winning the 400m and running to golds in a pair of World Junior Record-setting relays. This winter he became the first athlete since the immortal Michael Johnson to break 45-seconds indoors (44.93), and turned professional shortly after that performance, and has continued his upward surge, recording his big win in Jamaica in front of another Pre Classic entrant, Olympic 4x400m gold medallist Andrew Rock (44.75).
In addition to Harris and Brew, the World Ranked number one at 400m Alleyne Francique of Grenada, who is the World Indoor champion, fourth ranked Michael Blackwood of Jamaica, and 8th listed Brandon Simpson of Jamaica will also compete on 4 June.