Jeremy Wariner still remains the third-fastest man to ever run the 400m.

The three-time Olympic Gold medalist, including an individual 400m win in 2004, is scheduled to run in the U.S. Outdoor Championships this weekend at Hayward Field. It will be 31-year-old Wariner’s first U.S. Championship since finishing a disappointing seventh in his prelim, running 48.04 at the 2013 Championships.

His personal best of 43.45 still makes him third all-time, and he is firm in believing his journey is far from over. In episode 1 of DRIVEN, Wariner takes you through the beginning of his track and field career. Originally a star football player, Wariner was set to play ball at Baylor. It was only until his scholarship fell through that the young Wariner decided to give track and field a full-time shot.

Baylor treated Wariner well, as his sophomore year saw two NCAA 400m titles, an Olympic Trials victory, and ultimately Olympic Gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics. But Wariner’s biggest takeaway was breaking Baylor’s school record, previously held by the legendary Michael Johnson. Call it humble beginnings or simply the musings of a 20-year-old who just won Olympic Gold and hadn’t had time to process it all, but his life was about to change.
 
Wariner’s career was a whirlwind from 2004 - 2009, winning five Olympic/World Championship 4x400 titles with Team USA and three individual 400m Olympic/World Championship victories. Only the rise of fellow American LaShawn Merritt in 2008 would stop Wariner from winning his fourth and fifth 400m crowns.

But while Wariner and Merritt are only two years apart, Merritt is coming off a 2013 World title and 2014 Diamond League win, while Wariner is struggling to remain relevant. Where did Wariner’s presence go and could it be on the upswing? His move up in distance to the 800m this spring could mean he is stronger than ever, but how far could that take him?


Watch Wariner run an 800m at the Bobcat Invite on March 28 in San Marcos, Texas

His season best of 45.89 came at the adidas Grand Prix on June 13, a last chance effort that he desperately needed to get into the U.S. Championships. Though far from his personal best, he ran a leg on the U.S. World Relays team that won in a world-leading 2:58.43, showing that he could contend for the relay pool, if at all, this summer in Beijing.

Warner is seeded 28th out of 34 accepted entries and has not broken the 45-second barrier in the event since 2012. He still believes there’s more to give, and on Thursday at 4:45pm PT we’ll find out what is next for Jeremy Wariner.