Merritt ready and raring to go in Doha

LaShawn Merritt, the 2008 Olympic and two-time world champion in the 400m, is no stranger to Doha. The American holds the current 400m Doha Diamond League record of 44.19, set in 2014, and is looking forward to tomorrow’s race. “This year is going to be fast, it makes the event a lot more interesting,” he said. “Is the world record in danger? I believe so, with so many athletes running below 44 these days,” he added.With a personal best of 43.65, which ranks him sixth on the all-time list in the world, Merritt’s focus is on the US Olympic Trials in July, and the Rio Olympic Games. “I want to stay sharp, be ready for the US Trials and always improve. I am training hard, I am on a more strict diet that I’ve ever been on and I keep learning more. I am more passionate than ever and feel there’s a lot of untapped potential in me,” said the American, who took the silver at last year’s World Championships in Beijing.Merritt is a keen student of his own races and said he focuses on the details after each race. “I do study myself a lot. I watch films of my races and training to see where I can do better, along with my coach. There’s always room for improvement and I want to be both mentally and physically ready. My training has been going well, the key obviously is to stay healthy, be competitive and put the perfect race together. I know how to handle pressure, I believe in myself, in what I can do.”Performing in Doha brings positive memories. “The weather conditions are just great in Doha, the crowd is very passionate and I want to put on a great show for them, I want to run fast and execute all that I have been training for.”