Kirsten Warholm crosses the finish line in Tokyo, breaking the 400m hurdles world record and putting on one of the most memorable performances in Olympic history. (Jewel Samad)
Karsten Warholm put on one of the most memorable performances in Olympic history, winning the men’s 400m hurdles at the Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In front of an empty stadium, he smashed the world record and celebrated his winning time of 45.94 seconds by dancing his top off in joy, creating one of the most iconic photos of the Summer Olympics.
His feat was repeated by American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in the women’s 400m hurdles, and their combined effort heralded a turning point in a sport that lacks the immediacy of sprints but also the elbow-bumping of middle-distance events.
“It’s a revolution,” Warholm told AFP about her event, widely considered the toughest in track and field.
“I remember when I first started running the 400m hurdles everyone was running very cautiously. It was like an economy race with a fairly controlled start and then trying to finish strong, but now it’s a sprint from the start!”
“Me and coach (Leif Olav Alnes) feel a bit guilty about the way we’ve done it. There’s been a lot of progress, both boys and girls.”
“It’s a new event. It’s really cool and a lot of people are really looking forward to the 400m hurdles now. Usually it’s one of the highlights but it wasn’t before.”
“It’s fun, but it’s a lot harder to win the 400m hurdles now than it was when I won my first (world title) in London in 2017 in 48.3 seconds.”
Warholm, known for her explosive starts in races, is wearing new spikes in an effort to finish even stronger, but warns she still risks injury in the countdown to Paris.
“I want to finish the race stronger. That was probably my biggest weakness and I think these shoes will actually help me perform better.”
“It does affect your stride length a little bit, but the most amazing thing is the energy return. When you put force into it, the force coming back is much greater than before.”
The Norwegian started his season at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, winning the gold medal in the 400m breaststroke after a narrow defeat to Belgium’s Alexander Doom.
His outdoor season begins Thursday at the Bislett Games at his hometown track in Oslo, the sixth stop on the 15-race Diamond League circuit.
“I’m feeling good. I think everything is going according to plan so far. I couldn’t ask for more,” he said.
“When you push your limits every day to ensure your performance, there are a lot of risks involved.
“We hope to use our knowledge and experience to prepare us for Paris in the best possible condition.”
– Hard to replicate –
Warholm confirmed she will take part in the European Athletics Championships in Rome from June 7-12, but declined to say much about what will happen after that ahead of the Olympics, which run from July 26 to Aug. 11.
“We’ll have to wait and see. I’ve been trying to find the perfect balance. I don’t like setting a calendar and filling it up very early on.
“Every time I have to make a decision, I try to do the smartest thing.”
Warholm downplayed hopes of repeating the world record in Paris.
“It’s very difficult to replicate, but at the same time, it’s a dream to be able to do something similar.”
“But I think this Olympics will be tougher than ever before. I’m looking forward to the challenge. The risks will be high, but the rewards will be great if we succeed.”
Warholm told AFP that having already won an Olympic gold medal took some of the pressure off her.
“The reality is that a lot of great athletes go through their careers and never win an Olympic gold medal, so the pressure is not that great,” he said.
“I was fortunate to win a gold medal and I would like another one, but I think a lot of people also feel that this is their best chance to win a gold medal. I think they feel the pressure too.”
Either way, Warholm said he’s focused.
“My performance is always important. This time I didn’t come to Paris as a tourist. I came here to perform. And if I can make good memories, I’ll come back again.”
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