Richards, Wariner voted top US athletes

NEW YORK, Nov 28 (Reuters) Training partners Sanya Richards and Jeremy Wariner today won the Jesse Owens Award as the top US Track and Field athletes of the year.

Both athletes had undefeated 400 metres seasons with Richards, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) female athlete of the year, breaking the US record.

They will be honoured on Saturday in Indianapolis as part of USATF's annual meeting.

The Jamaican-born Richards broke the 22-year-old US 400 record with a time of 48.70 seconds at the IAAF World Cup in Athens on September 16. Valerie Brisco set the previous record of 48.83 seconds at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

Richards, the world silver medallist, also had the five fastest times in the world in 2006.

Wariner, like Richards, was undefeated in Golden League competition. The Olympic and world champion also had the year's top 400 time, 43.62 seconds.

Both athletes are coached by Michael Johnson's former trainer Clyde Hart, who was named USATF coach of the year.

REUTERS SBA BST0122