The 33-year-old Johnson, of the United States, and the defending Millrose champion is facing one of the brightest young talents in 21-year-old Doucoure in Friday's indoor track and field meet at Madison Square Garden.

The 2004 Olympic silver medallist Bernard Lagat will also be trying to repeat his 2003 title in the Wanamaker mile.

In one of the most highly anticipated miles in years, the 30-year-old Kenyan and 2000 Olympic bronze medallist will duel with American favourite Alan Webb.

Johnson will be tough to keep off the podium as he has two world indoor titles and a gold medal from the 1996 Summer Games. A fall in the rounds at the Athens Olympics kept him from trying to win his second hurdles gold.

Doucoure broke the French record in the 2004 Olympic semi-finals with his time of 13.06 seconds.

New Yorkers have grown accustomed to seeing mild-mannered Lagat whose previous Wanamaker Mile triumphs came in odd-numbered years (2001 and 2003) so he looks to be on track to do it again.

Friday's mile also includes 2004 Olympic trials third-place finisher Rob Myers, who owns a personal best of three minutes 53.78 seconds, Laban Rotich of Kenya, who upset Lagat last Saturday at the Boston Indoor Games and Wanamaker runner-up James Thie of Great Britain.

When he won at Millrose in 2003, it was a strategically-run race that took 4:00.36; his 2001 triumph came in 3:58.62.

"I'd like to see the first quarter-mile run in about 55 seconds," said Lagat.