BEIJING – Former Norfolk State track sprinter Chris Brown of the Bahamas finished fourth on Thursday in the final of the men's 400 meters at the Summer Olympics at the Bird's Nest.

The United States swept the medals. LaShawn Merritt of Portsmouth took the gold in 43.75 seconds, defending Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner won the silver in 44.74 and David Neville won bronze in 44.80. Brown was just behind Wariner and Neville in 44.84, missing out on what would have been first Olympic medal by just four one-hundredths of a second (.04).

Brown will get another shot at his first medal on Friday when the Bahamas competes in the 4x400 meter relay.

Brown, 30, was making his first individual Olympic finals appearance in his third trip. Brown advanced to the semifinals of the 400 meters at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and also ran in the qualifying heats at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He also ran on the Bahamas' fourth-place 4x400 meter relay team in 2000.

Brown was a two-time Division I All-American at NSU (2000-01). He won a silver medal at the 2001 World Championships and placed fourth in 2005 and 2007.