Slowed down in his relentless march forward last summer, the Norwegian Karsten Warholm won back world gold in the 400m hurdles in Budapest on Wednesday. He becomes the first triple world champion in the specialty. Before his coronation in the Hungarian capital, celebrated Viking helmet on his head, Warholm (27) had triumphed for the first time in 2017 in London, at only 21 years old, then a second in 2019 in Doha. A year ago, however, he had to give up the crown to Brazilian Alison dos Santos (5th Wednesday), too delayed by an injured thigh for his summer comeback, and only ranked seventh in Eugene (Oregon, United States). United).
In the sweltering Hungarian Wednesday evening, the powerful Norwegian, despite having the fourth and fifth best times in history (46.51 and 46.52) run earlier in the summer, did not drive the stopwatch completely crazy, as it had been the case in the Olympic final in Tokyo with an astounding world record in 45 sec 94. He nevertheless won in 46 sec 89, ahead of the athlete from the British Virgin Islands, Kyron McMaster (47.34), and the American Rai Benjamin (47.56), in a style barely less aggressive than the one that makes its mark and is based on a fast start.
“It’s a difficult way of running, very lactic, it’s hard on the body. I’m not sure I can run like that until I’m 40!” Warholm smiled to AFP in early July. But “it’s an asset”, he considers. “Before, it was more about elegance, but there is no artistic note in the 400m hurdles, it is purely about stopping the clock. And I think the most aggressive way is the best way to run fast. You have to run it like a sprint”.
You have to hear the powerful slaps and other slaps that he gives himself before taking his place in the starting blocks to measure the violence of the effort he likes to inflict on himself. From the start of their fruitful collaboration, his long-time trainer Leif Olav Alnes understood that it was this running pattern that would be his pupil’s strength. “When I started training with coach Leif, a lot of people said to him, ‘You have to change his stride and the way he runs. He replied: “Certainly not”, says Warholm. It was very smart.”
“You have to play with the cards you have in hand,” confirms the Norwegian coach to AFP. “I know that my way of running is not orthodox, it would not suit everyone, but it is the most natural for me, continues the one who is also double European champion (2018 and 2022). At the beginning, I was not good enough to last until the end, so everyone said that it was necessary to do the opposite. And to add: “But we came to the conclusion that it was not the first 300 meters which were too fast, but the last 100 which were too slow, we tried to change that. And I think we found the best way to manage the 400m hurdles, and that it is here to stay.
“After Tokyo, I gave him three choices: to stop his career because he had won everything, I advised him against it until he found something in which he could give himself up with as much passion as in athletics . Second choice: chasing the money. But the performance will drop gradually. Or continue”, enumerates Alnes. Warholm chose the third option.
His compatriot Jakob Ingebrigtsen, he will start having a nightmare in English. As in 2022, the Olympic 1,500m champion and European record holder saw a British opponent surprise him in the home stretch and deprive him of world gold: after Jake Wightman, this time it’s Josh Kerr ( 3:29.38 versus 3:29.65). Ingebrigtsen (22) was even nearly beaten at the finish line by another Norwegian, Narve Gilje Nordas, finally bronze medalist (3:29.68). The Scandinavian cross-country skier left the track immediately, before mentioning a sore throat. “Not feeling 100% today is unlucky,” he said. Like a year ago, he will have the opportunity to take revenge in the 5,000m, the series of which are scheduled for Thursday.