Merritt, Richards ‘stroll’ with ease; Felix, Crawford are tops in 200

U.s. Track and Field ChampionshipS

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — If only they were all this easy.

LaShawn Merritt and Sanya Richards made their 400-meter races look like strolls around the track Saturday, each cruising to titles at the U.S. championships.

With no Jeremy Wariner in the field, Merritt was missing his only real rival and quickly pulled away from the field. The Olympic gold medalist, who beat Wariner in Beijing, won in 44.50 seconds, tying his world-best time for 2009.

The real competition was for second, where Gil Roberts held off Kerron Clement. Olympic bronze medalist David Neville finished fifth.

This was Richards’ fifth national championship and second in a row.

But as has happened at times in her career, she’s struggled when she gets on the very biggest of stages. Last year, she finished third in Beijing after entering the event as the runner to beat.

She’s hoping to reverse that trend at the world championships in Berlin later this summer.

Richards, wearing hot pink shoes and matching top, only got stronger as the race went along. She finished in 50.05 seconds. Debbie Dunn took second and Jessica Beard was third.

Earlier, Allyson Felix had a much better showing in her best event, turning in the top time in the 200-meter prelims.

Felix had a start in the finals of the 100 the night before she labeled “atrocious.”

This time, her burst from the block was less important but still much cleaner. The two-time Olympic silver medalist in the 200 breezed past the field, hardly even challenged.

It was made easier that Carmelita Jeter didn’t line up the day after hurting herself winning the 100.

“Felt good today,” Felix said. “I have to work on the curve. It was a little windy, but it was OK.”

Shawn Crawford had the top time in the prelims of the men’s 200, crossing the line in 20.19 seconds. Crawford finished fourth in Beijing, only to move up to the silver medal when Netherlands Antilles sprinter Churandy Martina and Wallace Spearmon were disqualified for running outside their lanes.

He’s since given the medal back to Martina, lifting a weight off his shoulders.

Wariner, meanwhile, stepped away from his signature event to run in the 200. Wariner, who’s already qualified for the world championships in the 400 — thanks to his victory at worlds in 2007, back when he was on top of the rivalry with Merritt — finished second in his heat in 20.77 seconds.

“I finished pretty good, I just have to get out a little better,” said Wariner, who was running his first race in nearly a month. “I’m a little rusty.”

Two-time Olympic bronze medalist Walter Dix pulled out of the 200 field a day after injuring his right hamstring while running in the semifinals of the 100.

Lashinda Demus (400 hurdles), Brad Walker (pole vault), Shannon Rowbury (1,500) and Josh McAdams (steeplechase) also won titles Saturday.

Dawn Harper and Lolo Jones advanced to the semifinals of the 100 hurdles, setting up a possible rematch from the Beijing Games.