Carter's 2007 season was marred by a knee injury and it was not until the beginning of the 2008 athletics season that he fully recovered. Competing in his first 400 m race of the season, Carter posted a time of 44.70 s at the Reebok Grand Prix, breaking Kerron Clement's track record by one hundredth of a second. However, he dismissed the importance of the victory, saying that the track meets were only a way of preparing for the 2008 Olympic Trials.