Two-time world champion Karsten Warholm broke a 29-year-old world record in the 400m hurdles, the longest-standing record in men’s track.
The Norwegian clocked 46.70 seconds at a Diamond League meet in Oslo on Thursday. American Kevin Young held the record of 46.78 from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
“It might take another world record to win the Olympics,” Warholm said, according to meet organizers. “There rare such a lot of great guys out there at the moment who will all be aiming to do it and win gold.”
Last week, Rai Benjamin ran 46.83 at the U.S. Olympic Trials, then the second-fastest time in history.
Warholm now owns seven of the top 15 times in history.
“I knew that I had a fast time in my body -- it feels like it as been there for a long time but you never know when it is right to do it,” Warholm said. “And it is one thing to ono you have it in you and another to go out and do it.”
Benjamin, who took silver behind Warholm at 2019 Worlds, owns three of the top 15 times in history.
Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba, the 2019 World bronze medalist, is the fourth fastest man in history behind Warholm, Young and Benjamin.
At the Tokyo Olympics, Warholm, Benjamin and Samba are expected to go head-to-head-to-head for the first time since 2019 Worlds. Before that, Warholm and Benjamin go head-to-head at a Diamond League in Monaco on July 9.
Last Sunday night/Monday morning, Sydney McLaughlin broke the women’s 400m hurdles world record.
Young, speaking in 2019, said his world record -- set after knocking over the last hurdle in Barcelona -- should have been broken years earlier. He said 2000 and 2008 Olympic champion Angelo Taylor or 2016 Olympic champion Kerron Clement both had the talent to do it.
“I’m OK with [it being broken],” he said then. “I’ve got a lot of firsts. First one under 47 seconds. First one to win an ESPY in track and field.”
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"This world record was older than me!"@kwarholm on a special, special night at #OsloDL.#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/YLY9VXX4ls
— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) July 1, 2021