Bring it on! Merritt sees no threat in Bolt's 400m bid

From James Toney and Tom Oldfield, Sportsbeat, in Berlin

 LASHAWN Merritt added the world 400m title to his Olympic crown and left team-mate Jeremy Wariner under no illusions who was boss.

And he's not afraid of Usain Bolt either.

STREAKING CLEAR: LaShawn Merritt adds the world 400m title to his Olympic crown at Berlin's Olympiastadion

Bolt might have played down suggestions he might shift up in distance to 400m but his coach, Glen Mills, is certainly intrigued by the idea of enhancing further his charge's legend.

Merritt though remains unconcerned by the prospect.

"If Usain does come to this event, he's got some guys right here who aren't going to make it easy for him," he said.

"This is what we wake up for every day - so I don't really care if he runs or not."

Bolt's arrival on the one lap scene would certainly add extra Caribbean spice to Merritt and Wariner's rivalry, which it is fair to say is far from friendly.

Wariner, the world champion in Helsinki and Osaka, was determined to reassert his dominance after his Beijing disappointment.

But Merritt tracked him down the back straight and then found the extra gas required to effortlessly glide past. Sensing blood, he then ruthlessly slammed down that advantage on the home straight, Wariner simply had no response to the questions he was asked.

Merritt crossed the line in 44.06 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year, while his downbeat team-mate claimed second ahead of Trinidad's Renny Quow, a more sorrowful silver you'd struggle to find at these championships.

"I set the race off well. I got to 300m and then I went to work again down the straight," added Merritt.

"After 2007, I didn't want another silver so I went and got gold at the Olympics and I knew it was important for me to do the same here."

Wariner looked more crestfallen with his defeat than he did at the Bird's Nest 12 months ago. He's lost his mojo and knows Merritt is the man to have stolen it.

"It's tough, having been on top for a while and going out and running 43 seconds as if it's nothing," he said.

"My times haven't been where I wanted them to be the last two years and to run 44.60 secs here as a season's best, is crap to me.

"I've had injuries but I don't want to use that as an excuse."