Athletics at the Paris Olympics: Karsten Warholm Advances to 400m Hurdles Final
Paris, France – Karsten Warholm, the reigning Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles, secured his place in the final with a dominant victory in his semifinal heat at the Paris Olympics. He clocked in at 47.67, the fastest time of the day.
A Close Call for Dos Santos
Warholm faced stiff competition in his heat, with his arch-rival Alison dos Santos also competing. Dos Santos had a better personal best this year than Warholm and had beaten him earlier in the season. However, in the semifinal, Dos Santos seemed exhausted and finished third, scraping through to the final by virtue of his time.
Warholm Reacts to Competition
Warholm expressed surprise at Dos Santos’ performance, saying, “He has put himself in a difficult situation. There are quite a few who can actually beat that time.” He also expressed sympathy for Dos Santos’ bad lane draw in the final.
Final Showdown Looms
The final of the men’s 400m hurdles is scheduled for Friday evening. Warholm faces stiff competition from American Rai Benjamin, who also ran faster than him this season. The Norwegian still holds the world record in the event, which he set in Tokyo in 2021.