Jeremy Wariner

THE man on target to be the next 400m world record-holder, Olympic and world champion Jeremy Wariner, wants to compete in Australia in February, joining 100m world record-holder Asafa Powell.

Texan Wariner, whose mentor and manager is 200m and 400m world record-holder Michael Johnson, has never been to Australia and is keen to add a visit to his pre-Olympic preparation.

If it comes off, to have Wariner and Powell racing at A-Series meets in Sydney and Melbourne would be a tremendous coup for Athletics Australia. It may also encourage Australia's fastest 400m runner, John Steffensen, to reconsider not wanting to run in the domestic season.

Steffensen believes racing in February will cost him at the Olympics, but if it is good enough for Wariner, the 2004 Olympic 400m champion and 2005 and 2007 world champion, then it may prompt a change of heart.

Wariner's agent, Deon Minor, said yesterday from Texas that the Olympic and dual world 400m champion was considering racing in Sydney on February 16 and Melbourne five days later.

A final decision will be made today, when Wariner consults his coach, track guru Clyde Hart, who guided Johnson to two world records and three individual Olympic gold medals.

"Jeremy has never been down there so we would like to try to come and take a look at everything," Minor said. "Australia is one of the places he wants to go to compete and see a bit of the country.

"It is looking pretty good from my end and Michael (Johnson) was OK with it. Now it is up to Jeremy and coach Hart to decide and let me know one way or the other what they are going to do."

Minor said they had been negotiating closely with Athletics Australia's international

liaison manager, Maurie Plant, and would let him know today if Wariner would race.

Wariner, 23, has been touted as the next 400m world record-holder by no lesser expert than Johnson, who holds the record of 43.18sec, set in 1999.

The one obstacle in the Australian plan is Wariner does not normally race in February. "If he does come, it will be the first time he has left the country (US) this early to go and compete, and his coach is not sure about that," Minor said.

"Jeremy does not usually start racing until the end of March, so they have to look at whether he would be ready to run."

Australian Daniel Batman said it would be exciting to run against Wariner if he does make the trip. Batman is one of Australia's most versatile runners, and is ranked in the top 10 national all-time list over 100m, 200m and 400m.

Batman had burnout this year and took several months away from the sport.

However, he has been training solidly for the past few months and will return to racing over 400m at the Zatopek Classic in Melbourne next Thursday.

Batman has been training in Canberra with Clinton Hill, who anchored the Australian relay team to an Olympic silver medal at the 2004 Athens Games.

Hill has finally recovered from a long-term foot injury and will also resume racing in Melbourne next week.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22876580-5013449,00.html