A Brother's Spirit
by Eric Everett
The Philadelphia Daily News published a feature about LaShawn on Wednesday, telling the story of the man who inspires him -- his brother, Antwan.
Antwan Merritt died in 1999, and since then, as Marcus Hayes wrote, he has never been far from LaShawn's thoughts or his heart.
As ever, he prays before every race, then runs on a wind.
"When I was in high school, when I was running, it was like an out-of-body experience," LaShawn said. "It was like both of us were running."
It was Antwan, not Wariner, who pushed LaShawn to national high-school titles in the 200 and 400.
Antwan helped LaShawn excel at East Carolina, where he briefly attended before turning pro. His brother was there, he said, when LaShawn won the 400 at the 2004 World Junior Championships. He was there last year, when Wariner beat LaShawn at the World Championships - the first time LaShawn broke 44 seconds.
Antwan has been there every day, keeping LaShawn focused, and clean. In a sport wracked by drug scandal, criminal investigations and fallen champions, the memory of Antwan has helped LaShawn, 22, avoid temptation.
"He wouldn't want me to do it," LaShawn said. "When we were younger, growing up, him throwing the ball to me - it was natural. He'd want to keep it that way."
RELATED STORIES
Merritt's brother runs with him (Philadelphia Daily News, Aug. 6, 2008)
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/20080806_Merritt_s_brother_runs_w...
Delicious
Digg
Facebook
Newsvine
Reddit
Google
Yahoo
