Merritt toasts field in rare 300 meter race

EUGENE, Ore. — Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merritt bested his own Hayward Field record by winning the seldom-run 300 meters in 31.30 seconds Sunday in the Prefontaine Classic.

Merritt, who won gold in the 400 last summer in Beijing, surpassed his own mark of 31.31 at the venerated track in 2006. He also topped the Prefontaine-best 32.19 set by Jason Rouser in 1994.

"I'm more of a sprinter-type quarter-miler," Merritt said. "I have a quarter-miler background, so the (300) is right down my alley."

Fellow Americans Xavier Carter was second in 31.93, and Wallace Spearmon was third in 32.14.

The Pre, as it is known, is the last major meet in the United States before the national championships later this month.

Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot set a record on American soil when she won the 2,000 meters in 5:31.52. She surpassed Mary Slaney's 1984 record of 5:32.70 in the event, which also is infrequently run.

"I'm happy because I had never run 2,000," Cheruiyot said.