GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Kerron Clement plans to skip the 400 meters leading to this summer's national and world championships.
The Florida sophomore, who broke the world 400-meter indoor record this month, will instead concentrate on the 400-meter hurdles, his primary event. He most likely will face reigning Olympic gold medalist Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic.
"I like to run with the best," Clement said Tuesday. "Felix Sanchez would be a good race. Hopefully I'll be on top."
Clement finished the 400 final in 44.57 seconds at the NCAA indoor track and field championships this month, breaking the mark of 44.63 set by Michael Johnson in 1995. Still, his outdoor season will be centered on the hurdles.
Clement, who is from Trinidad and Tobago and earned his U.S. citizenship last year, won the NCAA championship outdoors in the 400 hurdles, then won the world junior championship in the same event. He plans to run for Florida during this outdoor season, then turn pro.
"What everyone is missing here is that the 400 hurdles is Kerron's craft," Florida coach Mike Holloway said. "Kerron is a 400 hurdler, so that's what he does."
Holloway called Clement's decision to not immediately turn pro -- which he certainly could have done after the world-record time at the NCAA indoor meet -- "a class move."
"There's part of me that would love to see Kerron here another two years," Holloway said. "Collegiate track is going to be OK. I'm just very glad that he is staying with us until June."
