LaShawn Merritt romped to victory in the 400 meters at the IAAF Continental Cup in Marrakech, Morocco, on Saturday as the Americans opened the defense of the title they won four years ago.
The American clocked 44.60 seconds for victory while compatriot Francena McCorory took the women's 400.
"It feels good to defend the Continental (Cup) title from four years ago," said Merritt, the former Olympic and current world champion. "I tried to execute the race the way I planned, to stay smooth, trust my speed and my strength. All the guys were very hungry for the victory."
Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown, captaining the Americas, won the women's 100.
"When you are captain of the team you feel big responsibility to be an example to the other athletes," she said.