Rekord-Warholm got revenge in the super duel: – It has bothered me a lot

The Bislett Games ended with a bang, with Karsten Warholm taking 1st place in the 300 meter hurdles at the Bislett Games. He broke his own record for the distance with a time of 32.67.

– It was incredibly nice. It was a bit like that for me that I had to win today. It means everything to me, if I can’t put myself in this position I feel like I’m wasting my time, says Warholm after the victory.

Rai Benjamin beat Warholm in the Olympic final of the 400-meter hurdles last year and Alison dos Santos beat him at Bislett. That has given the Norwegian a lot of motivation.

– It has bothered me a lot. But it must be said that this type of thing is a burning motivation, which nothing else can give you but curses, says Warholm.

VICTORY CELEBRATION: Karsten Warholm and Leif Olav Alnes celebrate together after the victory.

The 300-meter hurdles is on the Diamond League program for the first time, but it is not an event where an official world record can be set by the International Association of Athletics Federations (World Athletics).

– This was a race for the history books. It’s pretty clear that with the three best runners of all time, it should be an official world record, says coach Leif Olav Alnes to NRK right after the race.

In a press release sent out by the International Association of Athletics Federations at the end of March, they wrote that it will be possible to set an official world record in the 300-meter hurdles once the event has reached “a meaningful level of popularity.”

– It may be difficult for people to understand the time, but that time is quite good. The record is good enough to be called a world record, but it’s not really that important to me. The most important thing today was the duel and the competition and getting to show myself the way I do, says Warholm.

Congratulations: World record holder in 100 and 200 meters Usain Bolt congratulated Karsten Warholm on his victory in the 300 meter hurdles. 

– I think the victory was important for Karsten

Benjamin led the race for a long time, but on the uphill side Warholm came like a rocket. Alison dos Santos came in third place.

– Karsten ran absolutely phenomenally. I think the victory was important for him. It’s his home track and people are here to see him win. But it’s a long season, so we’ll see what happens, Benjamin tells NRK. s

EUPHORY: Karsten Warholm cheered uninhibitedly in front of a packed Bislett.

In the slightly less prestigious 300 meter hurdles distance, Warholm also held the record before tonight’s race. The previous record was set during the Diamond League opening in Xiamen, China. The time then was 33.05.

At Bislett, Benjamin ran in a time of 33.22 and dos Santos came in third place.

– 33.38 is very fast and it’s not something we train for. The way I run is complicated, since I take 12 steps (between each hurdle). So I had no idea how it would go. It was a good experience. I had fun, dos Santos tells NRK.

Benjamin and dos Santos are Warholm’s fiercest rivals. They will meet again on Sunday at the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm.

The Diamond League match in Stockholm can be seen on NRK 1 from 18.00 on Sunday. The duel on the traditional 400 meters hurdles starts at 19.52.

You can watch the Diamond League event in Stockholm on NRK 1 from 18.00 on Sunday. The duel in the traditional 400 meter hurdles starts at 19.52.

Meiner Norwegians know the rivalry well

It is Benjamin’s first time participating in the Bislett Games. He feels that the duel between him and Warholm is particularly noticeable to the Norwegian audience.

– I think the running community here in Norway is well aware of the rivalry. I think it will be very energetic, Benjamin told NRK before the race.

Warholm has the year’s best in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 47.28. The second best time this year is held by Alison dos Santos, with a time of 47.61.

The world record is still Norwegian. It was set by Warholm during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 in the incredible time of 45.94. Closest is Rai Benjamin, who also set a personal best of 46.17 when Warholm won the Olympic gold medal. Dos Santos has his best run of 46.29.