Olympic champion Wariner sets personal best for 400

By Oliver Grassman

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Olympic 400 metres champion Jeremy Wariner ran a personal best of 43.50 seconds at the DN Gala meeting on Tuesday to equal fellow-American Quincy Watts as the third fastest man ever.

Only his agent Michael Johnson and Butch Reynolds have run faster while Watts clocked the same time at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Wariner, who defends his world title in Osaka, Japan, this month, told reporters the race was "pretty much perfect".

"I'm happy to get a PR (personal record), and it feels great to go into the world championships half a second faster than all the rest," he said.

On a cloudless, hot day Wariner relegated compatriot Kerron Clement into second place nearly a second behind in 44.48.

"The weather was perfect. I didn't feel any wind because the stadium blocked it out, and the sun didn't bother me because I'm used to the heat," added Wariner. "If I run like this in Osaka, I can almost guarantee a 43.3 run."

Johnson set the world record of 43.18 at the 1999 Seville world championships.

The time was a second stadium record in a row for Wariner, who was awarded a one-carat diamond for his feat. Last year he clocked 44.02 seconds.