STOCKHOLM, Aug 8: American Jeremy Wariner warmed up for this month’s world championships in Japan by running the sixth best ever time over 400m at the Stockholm Super Grand Prix on Tuesday.

The world champion, who has said he is aiming to better Michael Johnson’s world record of 43.18sec set in the 1999 worlds in Seville, won in 43.50sec.

Only Johnson and Harry Reynolds have run faster, while Quincey Watts has also timed 43.50sec. Wariner, who was followed to the line by US duo Kerron Clement (44.48sec) and Darold Williamson (44.90sec), said an attempt on Johnson’s record in Osaka was not out of the question.

In the men’s 100m, world record holder Asafa Powell struggled to reproduce his early-season form, just pipping Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas at the line to win in 10.04sec.—AFP