LaShawn Merritt, resident of Suffolk, Va. and the defending gold medalist in both the 400 meter and the 4x400 meter relay will be sent home from London to get treatment on his hamstring. He pulled up during his 400 meter heat after feeling a twinge in his leg and failed to finish.
Merrit's coach, Loren Seagrave, e-mailed reporters saying that while Merritt may not be feeling good physically, he is mentally ready to take the next step in his career.
He's mentally good. He immediately refocused on the task at hand, get everything right.
The withdrawal of Merritt may open the door for fellow sprinter Jeremy Wariner. While he did not qualify for the London Olympics, he was named to the relay team. He was also the anchor on the 4x400 relay team that won gold in Beijing in 2008.
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