by Karsten Warholm assured that his rivalry with Rai Benjamin and Alison Dos Santos will remain at the center of the scene this season, which culminates with the world championships in Tokyo in September.
Warholm finished 32.67 seconds in 300m hurdles during the Diamond League competition Thursday on its original track at the Buslett stadium in Oslo.
Advertisement
It was the fastest time ever recorded on the rarely managed event that recently received official status through world athletics, although still without ratified world record.
The victory of Norwegian, 29, over the American Benjamin – who succeeded him as an Olympic champion in Paris last year – and Dos Santos du Brazil certainly attracted the attention of a closed windows in favor of 15,000 supporters.
The eight departure runners were introduced above the Tannoy stadium to a muffled silence of competent spectators appreciating the construction of the last event of the filling of an exhilarating evening of athletics.
This immobility was roughly interrupted by the sudden blow of folding plastic seats clicking up while the fans got up in unison a few seconds before the starter orders.
Advertisement
“On your marks. Set”, then the pistol, the crowd that bursts in a crescendo overwhelming with ear for their local hero.
Warholm did not disappoint, although he had to make his way back in the race in the house straight while Benjamin threatened to withdraw but finally fog down after cutting the seventh and last obstacle.
“The race went well, even if I was rather worried about the closure of Rai on me,” said Warholm, reigning world champion and world record holder in the hedges of the 400m.
“But I knew that I could continue the last obstacle at home. I usually took off at the end of the 400, so the 300 suited me to a certain extent.”
Advertisement
Benjamin arrived second in 33.22 seconds, the world champion 2022 Dos Santos completing the podium (33.38) in what was the first time that the trio was encountered in this discipline. They now go to the 400m hedges at the Diamond League meeting on Sunday in Stockholm.
Warholm said he had practiced more than 200 m in order to compete.
“I was very clean on obstacles,” he said.
“The crowd was incredible like never before and the atmosphere was something else and I am so happy that I could play my best in front of support. It means a lot for me.
“There were high -level stars here, which is great for Bishop and it was nice to catch up with Usain (Bolt) and tomorrow we will have lunch and discuss correctly.”
Advertisement
After Warholm has traveled the finish line, tearing off its peak of joy with a roar, it was wrapped by the legend of the Jamaican sprint and swarms of children in chaotic scenes, Bolt making its first appearance in Oslo since retirement in 2017.
– Back to cut wood –
Warholm Kick began the transformation of the Haim world when he set a new world record by winning gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020.
The three podiums in Oslo then redefined the exhausting event.
Until Warholm broke the world record in 2021, no one had run the 400m hurdles faster than the American Kevin Young in three decades.
Advertisement
Four years later, young’s other untimely 46.78 is only the fastest 19th period in history. In the years that followed, Warholm, Benjamin and Dos Santos have pushed themselves to increasingly large, sharing the global distinctions between them.
Benjamin said he was satisfied with his 300m hedges beginnings.
“I did not know what to expect, but I am quite satisfied with the way I played. This is my first race since the Olympic Games in Paris last August, so I cannot expect too much at that time,” said the American.
“I want the gold medal in Tokyo at the world championships in September, but it’s very early for me, so I have to turn around and continue to cut this wood.
Advertisement
“This here in Oslo was an excellent opportunity and I am happy that they have established this race for us, it was special that the three of us faced this evening, it is good for sport and also for our development.”
Dos Santos added: “We want to do something good and I’m just happy to be among the best.”
LP / IWD
