Athletics – World Athletics Championship – Men’s 400m Hurdles Final – National Athletics Centre, Budapest, Hungary – August 23, 2023 Gold medallist Norway’s Karsten Warholm celebrates with a flag after the final REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Athletics – World Athletics Championship – Men’s 400m Hurdles Final – National Athletics Centre, Budapest, Hungary – August 23, 2023 Gold medallist Norway’s Karsten Warholm celebrates after winning gold REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Athletics – World Athletics Championship – Men’s 400m Hurdles Final – National Athletics Centre, Budapest, Hungary – August 23, 2023 British Virgin Islands’ Kyron Mcmaster, Norway’s Karsten Warholm and Rai Benjamin of the U.S. in action during the final REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
Athletics – World Athletics Championship – Men’s 400m Hurdles Final – National Athletics Centre, Budapest, Hungary – August 23, 2023 Norway’s Karsten Warholm crosses the finish line to win the Men’s 400m Hurdles Final REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
Athletics – World Athletics Championship – Men’s 400m Hurdles Final – National Athletics Centre, Budapest, Hungary – August 23, 2023 Gold medallist Norway’s Karsten Warholm celebrates after winning the Men’s 400m Hurdles Final REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
Athletics – World Athletics Championship – Men’s 400m Hurdles Final – National Athletics Centre, Budapest, Hungary – August 23, 2023 Gold medallist Norway’s Karsten Warholm celebrates after winning gold REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Athletics – World Athletics Championship – Men’s 400m Hurdles Final – National Athletics Centre, Budapest, Hungary – August 23, 2023 Gold medallist Norway’s Karsten Warholm celebrates after winning gold REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
BUDAPEST, Aug 23 (Reuters) – Karsten Warholm of Norway returned to the top of the global medal podium, racing to his third victory in the 400-metres hurdles at the World Athletics Championships on Wednesday.
The world record holder and Olympic champion pulled away from American Rai Benjamin heading into the home straight to win in 46.89, spreading his arms wide in celebration.
The 27-year-old won the 2017 and 2019 world championships, but struggled to seventh at the worlds last season in Eugene when he was hampered by a hamstring injury.
“It feels incredibly good to have the gold around my neck again,” Warholm told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. “I fought all I could in the last 100 metres.”
Kyron McMaster won silver in 47.34 to earn the first world championships medal for the British Virgin Islands.
“This means the world to my country – I have been chasing this medal since 2017,” McMaster said. “For so many years, I have been chasing a medal, but (it is) not the ultimate medal, because that is a gold.”
Benjamin, silver medallist both last year in Eugene and at the Tokyo Olympics, faded to take bronze in 47.56.
“I do not know what happened. I am proud of myself but I just wanted more. I want to prove I have it in me,” Benjamin said. “It has been a very tough season, dealing with a quadriceps injury, a lot of changes, a lot of distractions. I lost a close friend of mine. It was just tough.”
Warholm, running out of Lane 7, and Benjamin, on his inside in Lane 6, hit through the first seven hurdles in perfect synchronization before the Norwegian found another gear.
