After “losing” the Olympic gold medal last year, the desire to beat their rivals is greater than ever.
– Actually, I’ve never had a season where I haven’t felt like I really want to make it happen. I really want to crush them, says Karsten Warholm to NRK.
To secure revenge, coaches Leif Olav Alnes and Warholm do something “unusual”.
Warholm’s biggest competitors have already jumped to super times in the Diamond League.
And while they are competing at the DL meeting in Eugene this weekend, NRK will meet the Norwegian track and field star at the Olympiatoppen in Oslo.
For the election, it is easy to go two months without competitions, and a harder summer of training than usual.
– It’s a bit unusual. But we’re doing it in the hope that we’ll be able to get a competitive advantage from it. We don’t know if we’ll get an advantage from it, but that’s our plan, says Warholm.
– May cause problems
Everything is planned down to the smallest detail. Warholm started the outdoor season early in April with two competitions in China.
Then two competitions followed in June. But now it’s a stop – for a while.
– It’s a little unusual. We started a little earlier this year. And now we’re taking it up in the form of training.
The World Championships in Tokyo will be held in September. Instead of August, which is usually the case.
SUCCESS: Karsten Warholm followed the same plan when he secured World Championship gold in the 400 meter hurdles in Doha in 2019.
The 2019 World Championships in Doha were also in September. Then the duo followed the same plan, and Warholm ended up securing his second World Championships gold medal.
– It’s tough to keep up the pressure until September, and we often see it in championships. That those who start early and ride in good shape for a long time can have problems if they don’t refuel.
Warholm says the next competition is the Diamond League in Silesia, Poland in mid-August. The first competition in two months.
He also plans to participate in the DL final in Zurich, before heading to the Tokyo World Cup.
– Not worried
Warholm delivered the best time in the world with a time of 32.67 in the 300 meter hurdles during the Bislett Games in early June.
His best time in the 400 meter hurdles so far this year is 47.28.
Warholm’s fiercest rivals, such as Rai Benjamin, Alison dos Santos and Abderrahman Samba, have already won several competitions this summer. And will compete more.
Both Benjamin and dos Santos have run competitions under 47 seconds this year. Samba has also run faster than Warholm so far.
– I don’t think I’ve hit my 400 level so far this year. So I’m not stressing about it in any way. I think we have a good plan, and we’ll try to follow it and see where it goes. I’m not worried about it yet, says Warholm.