CARSON (California), May 17 World champions Bernard Lagat and Jeremy Wariner shared the limelight with Olympic 400-metre gold medallist LaShawn Merritt, after easing to comfortable victories at the Adidas Track Classic on Saturday.

Kenyan-born Lagat coasted home in the men's 1,500 metres, American Wariner dominated the men's 400 and Merritt, stepping down in distance, set the fastest time this year in the men's 200.

The day's biggest drama, however, occurred in the men's 400m hurdles, where world champion Kerron Clement clinched a controversial victory after race organisers botched the placement of the eighth hurdle on the Home Depot Center track.

World 1,500 and 5,000 champion Lagat, bitterly disappointed after injuries deprived him of a medal at last year's Beijing Olympics, won in 336.38 with a powerful surge over the last 100 to finish ahead of Canada's Nate Brannen (337.03).

Twice world 400 champion Wariner produced a near-perfect first 60 metres before powering home in 44.66, while beating Chris Brown of the Bahamas (45.03) and Trinidadian Rennie Quow (45.05).

Merritt, who trounced defending champion Wariner to win the 400 in Beijing last year, powered to victory in the 200 in 20.07, ahead of fellow Americans Xavier Carter (20.71) and Kelly Willie (20.73).

American Clement surged to victory in a controversial 400 hurdles that left Olympic champion Angelo Taylor fuming.

Clement, who took silver in Beijing, crossed the line in 48.38 seconds with compatriot Taylor second (48.70) and Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic third (48.95).

The entire field, however, was blindsided by race organisers, who placed the eighth hurdle too close to the seventh.

Leading results

Men's

100 metres 1. Darvis Patton (US) 10.12 seconds; 2. Daniel Bailey (Antigua) 10.14; 3. Steve Mullings (Jamaica) 10.19.

200 metres 1. LaShawn Merritt (US) 20.07 seconds; 2. Xavier Carter (US) 20.71; 3. Kelly Willie (US) 20.73

400 metres 1. Jeremy Wariner (US) 44.66 seconds; 2. Chris Brown (Bahamas) 45.03; 3. Rennie Quow (Trinidad) 45.05.

1,500 metres 1. Bernard Lagat (US) three minutes 36.38 seconds; 2. Nate Brannen (Canada) 337.03; 3. Pete van der Westhuizen (South Africa) 338.29

5,000 metres 1. Dejen Gebremeskel (Ethiopia) 13 minutes 16.52 seconds; 2. Alistair Cragg (Ireland) 1316.83; 3. Scott Baughs (US) 1338.95.

110-metre hurdles 1. Terrence Trammell (US) 13.39 seconds; 2. Antwon Hicks (US) 13.45; 3. Shamara Sands (Bahamas) 13.58.

400-metre hurdles 1. Kerron Clement (US) 48.38 seconds; 2. Angelo Taylor (US) 48.70; 3. Felix Sanchez (Dominican Republic) 48.95.

Discus throw 1. Ian Waltz (US) 61.70 metres; 2. Jarred Rome (US) 61.59; 3. Adam Kuehl (US) 58.53.

Long jump Dwight Phillips (US) 8.37 metres; Randall Flimmons (US) 7.67; Cadeau Kelly (US) 7.56.

Women's

100 metres 1. Carmelita Jeter (US) 11.09 seconds; 2. Muna Lee (US) 11.22; 3. Stephanie Durst (US) 11.22.

200 metres 1. Allyson Felix (US) 22.66 seconds; 2. Sanya Richards (US) 23.03; 3. Shalonda Solomon (US) 23.10.

400 metres 1. Natasha Hastings (US) 51.46 seconds; 2. Novlene Williams (Jamaica) 51.83; 3. Shereefa Lloyd (Jamaica) 52.03.

800 metres 1. Hazel Clark (US) two minutes 01.40 seconds; 2. Jemma Simpson (Canada) 201.58; 2 equal. Christin Wurth-Thomas (US) 201.58, 2 equal. Christian Wurth-Thomas (US) 201.58.

1,500 metres 1. Kenia Sinclair (Jamaica) four minutes 13.16 seconds; Marina Muncan (Serbia) 413.43; Mesta Wot Tadesse (Ethiopia) 413.69.

5,000 metres 1. Aheza Kiros (Ethiopia) 14 minutes 56.33 seconds; 2. Ejegayehu Dibaba (Ethiopia) 15.07.45; 3. Sally Kipyego (Ethiopia) 1509.03 100-metre hurdles 1. Dawn Harper (US) 12.78 seconds; 2. Perdita Felicien (Canada) 12.83; 3. Michelle Perry (US) 12.84.

3,000-metre steeplechase 1. Anna Willard (US) nine minutes 26.85 seconds; 2. Lindsey Anderson (US) 937.88; Lindsey Allen (US) 947.21.

Triple jump 1. Yvette Lewis (US) 13.82 metres; 2.Erica McLain (US) 13.67; Toni Smith (US) 13.33.

Pole vault 1. Jennifer Stuczynski (US) 4.76 metres; 2. Stacy Dragila (US) 4.42; Shuying Gao (China) 4.27.—Agencies