Karsten Warholm reacts after winning the gold medal at Tokyo 2020. GETTY IMAGES

The three athletes who medalled at Tokyo 2020 in the 400m hurdles will face each other again in Paris. Karsten Warholm won gold in Japan and broke his own world record. That race was historic. In Paris it will be one of the most watched.

Norway's Karsten Warholm had a brilliant 2021. The Olympic Games were delayed by the covid-19 pandemic. Weeks before the Olympics, he broke the world record in the 400m hurdles in Oslo at the Diamond League in his home country.

The record holder was Kevin Young. He achieved it at the Barcelona 92 Olympic Games. It was one of the great athletics records that had yet to be broken. 46.78. On 1 July 2021, the record would fall. 46.70.



On 3 August it fell again. Warholm covered the 400 metres jumping the 10 hurdles in 45.94. A stratospheric mark. Almost impossible. The American Rai Benjamin took the silver medal with a time of 46.17. Brazil's Alison dos Santos took bronze with 46.72. All three beat Young's record in the same race. It was no longer the world record, but the Olympic record.

All three will be in Paris. Warholm is 28. Benjamin, 26. Dos Santos, 24. It's a very attractive duel. If they make it through the preliminary rounds, they will meet in the final on Friday 9 August at 21:45 local time.



Warholm had a reaction that is still remembered today. He looked at the stopwatch in amazement at the mark he had achieved and tore his uniform. As if he felt like Superman. He recently won the European Athletics Championships in Rome. The mark, 46.98. Three consecutive golds in Europeans, and he has another three golds in World Championships. But he didn't break his jersey. He's saving that for Paris.

At the European Championships, his two great rivals were absent. In the Diamond League, Warholm is coming off two second places. In Oslo he lost to dos Santos. It was on 30 May. Benjamin did not compete. But he did compete in Monaco on 30 June. He won. Warholm was second and dos Santos third.



Warholm says that the 400m hurdles is in a very important moment. Also in the women's category. The American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and the Dutch Femke Bol are creating a rivalry that also attracts the attention of the public.

The Norwegian believes that the key is the fast start of the athletes. It's something he is known for, and he sees that others are getting better at it. This evens out the races and improves the level of competition.

Warholm appreciates the victory in Rome. It's another gold medal. But it also helps his confidence ahead of the Games. He feels strong and that his body responds to him. He thinks the race in Paris ‘will be exciting’. Benjamin says ‘it will be crazy’. A lot of spectators will be watching.