Wariner went undefeated at 400 meters this season, winning a $250,000 share in the IAAF Golden League Jackpot and earning the Jesse Owens Award as the top male track and field athlete in the United States. He had the four fastest times in the world in his event in 2006, including a personal-best 43.62 in Rome and a 43.91 in Paris.
"The facts speak for themselves in terms of numbers of times under 44 seconds and number of victories," Craig Masback, chief executive officer of USA Track & Field, said. "It's got to rank as one of the greatest years ever in his event, if not the greatest year ever."
That's saying something because Wariner's agent and mentor, Michael Johnson, is considered the greatest 400 sprinter ever. Johnson, who like Wariner went to Baylor and trained under Clyde Hart, won five Olympic gold medals and nine world championships and had 22 400-meter races under 44 seconds, including the world record of 43.18.
Wariner, 22, has two gold medals from the 2004 Athens Olympics, running a 44.00 to win the 400 and helping the 4x400 team to victory. He repeated with wins in those events at the 2005 world championships.
"The first person we want to compare him to right away is Michael Johnson," said Lewis Johnson, a track and field analyst for NBC who lives in Grapevine. "The only thing Jeremy has not done is set the world record. He has almost done everything.... He is absolutely respected, and I think feared, when he steps onto the track, because his talent is so tremendous."
Wariner broke the 44-second mark three times this year, with his 43.62 ranking seventh on the all-time list. Only Johnson, Quincy Watts and Butch Reynolds have been faster in the 400.
In 2006, Wariner had 10 of the top 12 times in the 400, easily outrunning Gary Kikaya of the Congo, as well as Americans LaShawn Merritt, Derrick Brew and Darold Williamson.
"There were a couple of goals I had that I didn't accomplish," said Wariner, a Lamar High School graduate. "Michael had four sub-44s in one season. That is one of my goals, to run at least five. I ran three this year, so I was close. That's one goal I carry over to next year, and, of course, I want to be a back-to-back champion at the world championships, and I want to break the world record. So there are a lot of things I can do [next] year to top this last season that I had."
By 2008, for the Beijing Olympics, Wariner might finally be the (fan) favorite. His only endorsement deal is with adidas, but Hershey's and AT&T are among those interested in linking their names with his during the next Olympic year.
Wariner also could help sell track and field in this country. The sport has been hard hit by doping suspicions and failed drug tests, most recently by the banning of Justin Gatlin, the Olympic 100-meter gold medalist.
Wariner, who said he doesn't take vitamins, supplements or any over-the-counter medicines, seems the perfect All-America candidate.
"What I've discovered is the American public is really good at knowing who is a good guy and who is not, and he's a good guy," Masback said. "That's going to help him -- and us -- in the long run.
"... Our only way back is via this new young group of superstars -- Jeremy, Lauryn Williams, Sanya Richards and others. That's their job. They've just got to keep doing what they're doing, and they've got to do it the right way. That will, over time, return the sport to a higher level of public consciousness. But it's not going to happen overnight."
Wariner knows the feeling.
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2 Gold medals, 400 meters and 4x400 relay, in the 2004 Athens Olympics.
3 Sub-44-second 400 times in 2006. Only Michael Johnson and Quincy Watts have as many in a career.
4 Fastest times in the world at 400 meters in 2006.
8 Runners to ever run a sub-44-second 400. Wariner's 43.62 personal best in Rome was the seventh-fastest time in history.
IN THE KNOW
400-meter dominance
Unbeaten, untied, unbelievable Jeremy Wariner, a Lamar High School graduate, went undefeated in the 400 meters during the 2006 outdoor season. His meet-by-meet results for last season:
Date Meet Event Time Place
March 25 Baylor Dr Pepper 200m 20.59 1st
April 1 UTA Invitational 200m 20.37 1st
April 8 Texas Relays 4x400 relay 3:00.04 (43.20 split) 2nd
April 22 Michael Johnson Invitational 400m 44.12 1st
April 29 Drake Relays 200m 20.67 1st
May 6 Modesto Relays 400m 44.84 1st
May 21 Adidas Track Classic 200m 20.19 2nd
June 2 Bislett Games# 400m 44.31 1st
June 22-25 USATF Championships 200m 20.24 5th
July 7 Meeting Gaz De France# 400m 43.91 1st
July 14 Golden Gala# 400m 43.62* 1st
July 25 DN Galan 400m 44.02 1st
July 28 Norwich Union London Grand Prix 400m 43.99 1st
Aug. 18 Weltklasse# 400m 44.20 1st
Aug. 25 Memorial Van Damme# 400m 44.29 1st
Sept. 3 ISTAF Berlin# 400m 44.26 1st
Sept. 9-10 IAAF World Athletics Finals 400m 44.02 1st
Sept. 23 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix 400m DNF DNF
*personal record #Golden League meet
Source: jeremywariner.com
Fast, faster, fastest
Jeremy Wariner had 10 of the 12 fastest times in the 400 meters in 2006. His 43.62 is seventh on the all-time list. Michael Johnson holds the world record at 43.18. The 12 fastest times in 2006:
Time Athlete Nationality Venue Date
43.62 Jeremy Wariner USA Rome July 14
43.91 Wariner USA Paris Saint-Denis July 8
43.99 Wariner USA London July 28
44.02 Wariner USA Stockholm July 25
44.02 Wariner USA Stuttgart Sept. 9
44.10 Gary Kikaya Congo Stuttgart Sept. 9
44.12 Wariner USA Waco April 22
44.14 LaShawn Merritt USA Stuttgart Sept. 9
44.20 Wariner USA Zurich Aug. 18
44.26 Wariner USA Berlin Sept. 3
44.29 Wariner USA Brussels Aug. 25
44.31 Wariner USA Oslo June 2
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Charean Williams, 817-390-7760
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