Olympic 400 meters champion Jeremy Wariner faces a challenge from LaShawn Merritt in what promises to be the highlight of today's Paris Golden League meet.

Wariner, who has dominated the 400 meters since he won gold at the Athens Games four years ago, is no longer unchallenged over the distance and is not taking his rival lightly.

"LaShawn is the strongest runner I have ever competed against," Wariner, who was narrowly beaten by Merritt in the US trials at the beginning of the month, told a news conference yesterday. "He is the only one out there who has run 43 seconds. I know he can do it again. Besides myself, he is the strongest."

But the 24-year-old Wariner relishes the competition three weeks ahead of the start of the Beijing Olympic Games.

"Having a competitor like LaShawn encourages me to work harder in practice," Wariner, who edged Merritt last week in Rome, said.

"I still need two to three weeks of training before going to Beijing," he added. "I am not satisfied with my 200 meters. I know there is room for improvement."

Merritt, 22, will be competing in his first Olympics in Beijing but is feeling confident.

"I feel like I am No. 1. I want to be No. 1. I line up thinking I am No. 1 and let the rest of the world know it," said Merritt.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily July 18, 2008)