Merritt and Wariner to battle for 400 metres gold

Berlin: American 400 metres runners LaShawn Merritt and Jeremy Wariner will clash in a golden showdown at the world athletics championships on Friday.

The meeting will be the first of the season between the world`s top one-lap sprinters.Merritt, the Beijing Olympic gold medallist, draws the favourite`s nod over Wariner, but the twice world champion and 2004 Olympic winner said he was determined to regain the No. 1 ranking Merritt took from him last year. In another high-profile sprint final, American Allyson Felix chases a third consecutive world women`s 200 metres title with Caribbean speedsters her biggest challenge. Gold medals in the men`s 50km walk, men`s high jump and women`s discus are also up for grabs on the seventh day of the championships. Bureau Report