London: Norway’s Karsten Warholm and America’s Phyllis Francis emerged the new king and queen of the men’s and women’s 400m hurdles at the Olympic Stadium here Wednesday. On a night when it rained incessantly, the two dashed the dreams of two legends of the event – both from the US – Kerron Clement and Allyson Felix.
Warholm announced himself as one of the sport’s brightest new powerhouses as he recorded a magnificent gun-to-line triumph. The 21-year-old former decathlete led from the first hurdle and held off his pursuers on the home straight to win in 48.35 seconds.
Still effectively a novice at the ‘man-killer’ event, the youngster clasped his face in disbelief as it dawned that he had beaten Turkey’s European champion Yasmani Copello (48.49s) into the silver medal position and spoilt Clement’s dream of becoming the first man to win three world titles at the discipline as the 31-year-old American had to settle for bronze in 48.52s.
It was the first track victory at any World Championships by a Norwegian since Ingrid Kristiansen’s 10,000 metres triumph in Rome in 1987 and Warholm’s smile of incredulity said it all.
“I truly don’t believe it. I’ve worked so hard for this but I don’t know what I’ve done. This is an amazing feeling,” he told the 55,000-strong crowd after somebody gave him a Viking helmet to wear on his lap of honour. “I’m World Champion, that’s crazy.”
Warholm decided on a simple tactic from the gun, taking out the pace as hard as he could and holding on for dear life till the end.
Clement said how much he enjoyed the challenge of the youngsters but his bid faltered as he stuttered before the last. “My legs just weren’t there off the last hurdle and that cost me the gold. You can see I came off it pretty badly. On another day I would have won but I’m happy to add another medal,” Clement said.
No one had given Francis a semblance of a chance in the women’s 400m hurdles with Jamaican Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Felix being the hot favourites.
However, Olympic champion Miller-Uibo inexplicably stumbled when seemingly certain of victory in an extraordinary finale.
Francis looked out of the medals with 80 metres to go but maintained her form amid the carnage to post a personal best time of 49.92 seconds and take a shock gold that even after crossing the line she had no idea she had won.
Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, 19, claimed a brilliant silver in 50.06s while defending champion Felix of the United States faded to get bronze in 50.08s.
“This win has not hit me yet, but I guess it will tomorrow when I will wake up,” Francis said.
Felix’s bronze took her World Championship medal haul to 14, matching the record of Jamaican sprinters Usain Bolt and Merlene Ottey. The American’s tally includes nine golds and she could not disguise her frustration at not making it 10.
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