Johnson has not lost a 400m race in six years and his fellow athletes are beginning to despair.Roger Black, questioned at the beginning of the season about who he saw as his main rivals in the 400m, mentioned a string of names before turning inevitably to the reigning world champion. If this summer works out for him as planned, there could be further discussions.His appearance in the 200m at Stockholm tonight will inevitably have the statisticians twitching. Catch him while you can is an exhortation which only makes sense for spectators. Johnson himself has a marketing degree from Baylor University.Individual world champion at 200m in 1991 and at 400m two years ago, he will run both in next month’s World Championships at Gothenburg and is currently lobbying for the Olympic timetable to be adjusted to allow a similar ambition in Atlanta next year.Johnson’s hopes of breaking the 200m world record of 19.72sec in Lausanne last week were frustrated by poor weather, but he did manage to have a meeting with the president of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Sam-aranch.

His legs, strong but disproportionately short, are busy as a clockwork toy The overall effect is of a man on a monocycle. And the marvel of it all is the stylists who strain, inexplicably, in his wake.The Johnson stance has reminded many of his fellow Texan, Jim Hines, who won the Olympic 100 metres in 1968. Inevitably, in his early days, he received a lot of advice about how to regularise it; advice that was resisted. “Because most people run in a particular way doesn’t mean it is correct,” he says. “A runner is going to run his best when he is comfortable and I have no plans to change.”As his long-time coach, Clyde Hart, has remarked: “Maybe some people are spending too much time going up and down and not enough going forward.”Brad Hunt, Johnson’s business manager, puts forward the clinching argument: “You don’t take a guy who runs 19.7 for the 200 and 43.6 for the 400 and say ‘now you have to change things’.”Johnson, 27, is the youngest of five children from Waco, Texas – he represents an enduringly positive image for the quiet town that became infamous for the siege which led to the death of David Koresh and 85 cult followers two years ago.All his siblings are high achievers: two sisters are teachers, another is a special investigator for the Government, and his brother is a computer analyst. And in that world, Johnson is probably the biggest draw of all.Having seen to domestic business last month – he became the first man to win both 200 and 400 metres at the US Championships and trials this century – he is now giving European spectators the opportunity of reacquainting themselves with a method of running which, if you are being charitable, you call unique.Johnson’s head, and long torso, remain erect as a wooden soldier. Johnson, wearing the obligatory reversed baseball cap and personal stereo headphones (deferentially removed), nodded several times, before his characteristically sombre expression was compromised by a wide smile.This is the way the athletics world goes round.

The retired Swiss banker, curiously scruffy in a grey raincoat, leaned forward as he talked. Res Bruegger, whose Zurich grand prix commands an annual budget of pounds 2m, is not the average meeting promoter. And after nodding and chatting to the likes of Colin Jackson, Mark McKoy and John Regis, he made very sure that the man he sat opposite was Michael Johnson.
By the time Bruegger puts on his big event next month, Johnson will probably be world champion at 200 and 400 metres; possibly world record holder at both distances too. The bus pulling away from the Paris Hilton hotel last Monday en route for the Charletty stadium contained enough athletic talent to make the average meeting promoter go weak at the knees.

Warwickshire scored their biggest total of the season, making 277 for 4 Leicestershire were dismissed for 165 in 38.2 overs.. Ealham hit 112, with his century coming off off 44 balls in 42 minutes.The defending champions, Warwickshire, made it five Sunday wins in a row, defeating Leicestershire by 112 runs at Grace Road. Fairbrother was brilliantly run out by Kevin Curran and Graham Lloyd was bowled by Anil Kumble to spark the collapse, and Lancashire lost their last six wickets for 33 runs.Lancashire’s misery was deepened with the news that Peter Martin will miss Saturday’s Benson and Hedges Cup final against Kent – and could miss the rest of the Test series against West Indies, after tearing the ligaments on the outside of his ankle.Graeme Hick, who was available only because of England’s Test humiliation, hammered a 68-ball century to help Worcestershire to victory over Durham.Heavily tipped to be dropped by England after scoring three in each innings at Edgbaston, Hick hit 130 – the highest Sunday score made against Durham – and took three wickets as Worcestershire triumphed by 79 runs at Darlington.Mark Ealham hit the fastest-ever Sunday century as Kent grabbed a four- run win over Derbyshire at Maidstone. ROUND-UP

Lancashire missed the chance to go top of the AXA Equity and Law League after collapsing to a dramatic one-run defeat against Northamptonshire at Old Trafford. The home side needed four off the final over, but Rob Bailey denied Gary Yates the chance of victory to give Northants their first Sunday League win of the season.
Michael Atherton and Nick Speak put on 60 in the first 12 overs, then John Crawley and Neil Fairbrother hit 67 for the third wicket. Alistair Brown burned briefly but Ronnie Irani extinguished his effort.Alex Tudor, who at 17 is one of Surrey’s rising stars, ensured that the tail blazed for a moment, but by then Mark Ilott had come on with a burst of four for six in 13 balls to snuff out Surrey’s lingering hopes.. Darren Bicknell was run out thanks to Waugh’s marksmanship from short midwicket.

Nasser Hussain then took up the fight, and cruised classily to an unbeaten 68.Then it was the turn of the Essex bowlers They needed no help for the first wicket. Prichard continued at breakneck speed and reached his fourth half century in the Sunday League this season off just 35 balls.He slowed down after that and was eventually out for 78, having hit a six and 12 fours. To begin with Paul Prichard, the Essex captain, who was later unable to take the field because of a finger injury, smashed the Surrey attack all around the ground.He and his fellow opener Mark Waugh took Essex to 50 in just 32 thumping deliveries, their partnership realising 123 runs. This 61-run defeat, in front of a large crowd, leaves them marooned in midtable of the Sunday League, and can only have made things worse.Essex made it look so easy as they coasted to their fifth Sunday League win of the summer. Bottom of the County Championship, their summer is rapidly disintegrating amid discontent. Surrey heroes of the past were at the ground as part of the club’s 150th anniversary celebrations.