OSLO, Norway – Norway’s Karsten Warholm broke Kevin Young’s 29-year-old 400m hurdles world record when he completed the race in 46.70 seconds in front of his home fans at the Diamond League meeting in Oslo.
Warholm beat 1992 Olympic champion Young’s mark of 46.78secs, which was set four years before the Norwegian was born and was the longest-standing record in men’s track.
Twice world champion Warholm raced to an early lead and never let up as he was roared on all the way to the finishing line, which he crossed ahead of 2019 Pan American Games champion Alison dos Santos by more than six tenths of a second.
“I knew that I had a fast time in my body,” said Warholm according to Reuters. “It might take another world record to win the Olympics.”
The achievement capped a series of solid performances at the Diamond League meet, where two-time Olympic medallist Andre de Grasse won the men’s 200m in 20.09.
“I was happy with that today. There are a few things to work on but I only arrived a couple of days ago so my body still needs to adjust after the jet lag,” said the 26-year-old Canadian, who added that he planned “to bring some medals back” from the Tokyo Olympics.
Ivorian sprinter Marie-Josee Ta Lou torched the women’s 100m in 10.91, a solid showing ahead of Tokyo, where she will face a field overflowing with talent.
“When you start your season you just hope for no injuries, good training and to be ready for competition,” said Ta Lou. “There is a lot of great talent out there but I am always in competition with myself.”
Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, a silver medallist in Rio, won the 5,000m in 14:26.38 but made clear she wants to improve ahead of the Games, where she plans to compete in the 5,000m and 10,000m.
“I have a lot of speed work to do between now and then. I have worked hard on my endurance and now I need to concentrate on the last 300m,” said Obiri, who picked up her second consecutive world championship gold in 2019.
“It’s very special to be the first to beat Kevin Young’s world record,” said Warholm.
“It has been really tough sitting at home and doing hard work and knowing that people are taking a shot at that world record for a long time, and seeing how Rai ran at the Trials. All respect to my competitors but it’s very special and nice for me to be able to be the first to break that world record. It was important to me.”
After witnessing Warholm’s performance, Young said: “The phones are ringing! What an amazing race. I enjoyed it and for now I have the Olympic record.”
On Tokyo and Warholm’s potential head-to-head with Benjamin, Young added: “To win, either Rai or Karsten will have to have the race of a lifetime.”
Fans will not have long to wait until the next instalment in what is proving to be a top rivalry, as Warholm and Benjamin will be going head-to-head at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Monaco on 9 July.
With Sydney McLaughlin having clocked 51.90 at the US Olympic Trials on Sunday, it means both the women’s and men’s world records have been broken within the same week.
That wasn’t the only world record action of the evening as over in the pole vault Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis had three attempts at improving his own global mark to 6.19m.
It wasn’t to be on this occasion but a clearance of that height does not look far away and the 21-year-old achieved yet another six metre-plus performance, clearing 6.01m to break the meeting record.
Duplantis has competed in a range of weather conditions so far this season and the world silver medallist – who cleared his 6.18m world record indoors in Glasgow in February 2020 – made the most of the warm temperatures, crowd support and world-class competition in Oslo.
Meeting the USA’s two-time world champion Sam Kendricks and France’s former world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie in a three-way clash for the 21st time, Duplantis notched one more win on to his tally, taking it to six consecutive wins in this three-way contest.
Opening with a first-time clearance of 5.61m, Duplantis went on to clear 5.81m, 5.91m and 6.01m on his first attempts before his three tries at 6.19m.
Kendricks finished second as he soared over 5.91m on his third attempt, while Lavillenie was third with a best of 5.81m.
“I felt really good out there. We could really feel the energy in the stadium,” said Duplantis. “Sometimes you just have that feeling and tonight I knew I could get six metres but of course, it is never easy.
“I really think I can get that record soon. It will come this season.”
In the women’s 400m hurdles, 21-year-old Femke Bol clinched her second back-to-back Diamond League win in a personal best 53.33 seconds to extend her own national record for the Netherlands.
In the field events, world champion Kelsey-Lee Barber settled for third in the javelin with 59.30m, as German Christin Hussong won with 60.95m.
Sweden’s Armand Duplantis defeated world pole vault champion Sam Kendricks by clearing 6.01 metres.
