Norway’s Karsten Warholm lit up a packed stadium with a stirring performance on home soil, declaring he may have just delivered the best race of his career in Oslo Diamond League on Thursday night.
After a dominant win, the Norwegian hurdler reflected on the magnitude of the moment, the challenges he has overcome, and the mindset that fuels his relentless pursuit of greatness.
“Very important,” Warholm said when asked about the significance of his statement win. “But first of all, for me to do it at home, it means more than anything.”
Competing in front of a home crowd, Warholm showed raw emotion as he soaked in the atmosphere. The reigning Olympic champion admitted the path to this moment had not been easy.
“It wasn’t easy for me this year. It was a very tough competition. I knew that I had to bring my A game,” he said. “The time that I’m showing you today is the best Karsten Warholm ever, maybe.”
World Best
Warholm, set a 300m hurdles world best of 32.67, becoming the first athlete to better 33 seconds in this event at Oslo Diamond League.
After an injury-plagued his previous season, Warholm has returned with renewed focus and hunger. He credited his training and support team for helping him reach peak form again. He said the result was the culmination of hard work, patience, and resilience.
“I had an injury most of the year [last year], fighting through it,” he explained. “To be injury-free, coming out here, feeling good, having fun, and being the best version of myself. That’s what I live for.”
Warholm, never one to shy away from bold declarations. He gave insight into the fierce mentality that sets him apart from his competitors.
“When I can train as I’m doing, I know there is nobody who trains better than me,” he said. “My attitude, when I’m at my best, when I trust my body. I think my mentality is wild.”
Despite his edge, he remained respectful of his rivals, acknowledging the fierce level of competition.
“I have huge respect for my opponents. I know that they can bring a lot of heat as well,” Warholm said. “To me it was probably more serious today than it was for them, so I know they will come back stronger.”
The Norwegian star raced against the US athlete, Rai Benjamin who succeeded him as Olympic 400m hurdles champion last year and also the Brazilian Star Alison Dos Santos.
With a highly anticipated showdown looming in Stockholm over the 400m hurdles, Warholm hinted that he’s far from finished.
“We just worked with 400m hurdles for two weeks in Spain,” he revealed. “That is where our focus has been, and I know that I can do a very good 400m hurdles as well.”