Warholm is ready for finals in London

Karsten WarholmLondon, Karsten Warholm,Norway.Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpix

Warholm is ready for hurdle finals in London

Karsten Warholm is a good contender for gold at the World Atheletic Chamionships in London for the 400 meter hurdles. Norway’s biggest medal hope placed second during the IAFF, in Oslo (June 2017) with the time of 48.43.

 

The 21-year-old from Ulsteinvik is among the eight finalists who will fight for the precious medal on Wednesday evening at 22:33.

 Warholm was 8 hundredth of a second behind the ruling Olympic champion Kerron Clement from the United States. Clement is also a two times world champion.

 

– “It’s a job that has to be done and it’s going to be a humbling experience. I am guaranteed eighth place, we take it from there.” Warholm said while answering questions about his chances of a medal.
“I run hard, like I always do, and I think i have great speed. I don’t think  about the others before the competition, it does not help to do so.”

 

Former Olympic 800-meter champion, Vebjørn Roda,l said Warholm ran ferociously. The NRK expert described the young man’s race as being “technically good”

 

“I have more in store, but the final is going to be a fight all the way,” Clement told NRK.

 

Four participants from Warholm’s heat progressed  to the finals.

Six times before

Norway has placed six times in World Championships in athletics. Were this final go Warholm’s way, he might  be the first Norwegian male athlete to become world champion in the track and field.

 

Warholm has been on fire in recent months. In June, he broke his own Norwegian record on the 400 meters flat bringing it down from 46.10 down to strong 44.87. During the Bislett Games, he lowered his own record on his favourite distance of 400 meter hurdles from 48.49 down to 48.25.

 

Three days later, he took his second straight Diamond League victory, this time in Stockholm. During the U23-EM, Warholm obtained gold on the 400-meter hurdles, before securing silver on the 400 meter flat.

 

The results of the participating in the semifinals:

TJ Holmes (USA, 49.12), Kariem Hussein (Switzerland, 49.13), Juander Santos (Dominican Republic, 48.59), Kemar Mowatt (Jamaica, 48.66), Abderrahman Samba (Qatar, 48.77) ) And Yasmani Copello (Turkey, 48.91).

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today