Michael Ford says he is Wariner's new coach

Olympic and world 400 metres champion Jeremy Wariner will be coached by Michael Ford after parting company with his long-time trainer Clyde Hart, Ford said yesterday.

Hart said this week that he and Wariner had parted ways because of a contract dispute.

"We haven't worked out any details yet but I have been working with him the past couple of weeks," Ford told Reuters.

Ford, who worked with Wariner at Baylor University, said the athlete would continue to train in Waco at the Baylor track.

"I don't think anything is going to change much," said Ford, an assistant coach under Hart at Baylor for the past eight years.

"I learned a lot under coach Hart and I think that's probably a reason Jeremy asked me to work with him."

The coach said Wariner's ambitions remained the same.

"The ultimate goal is to try to win the gold medal (at the Beijing Olympics) and do well," Ford said.