Running News Daily

On February 28, 1996, in the quiet Norwegian town of Ulsteinvik, a champion was born. Over the years, Karsten Warholm has transformed himself into one of the most dominant and electrifying athletes of his generation — an Olympic champion, multiple-time world champion, European king, and the world record holder in the 400 meters hurdles.

Warholm’s journey did not begin with hurdles alone. As a teenager, he displayed remarkable versatility in the combined events. In 2013, he became World Junior Champion in the octathlon in Donetsk, showcasing an unusual blend of speed, strength, and technical precision. The following year, he competed in the decathlon at the World Junior Championships in Eugene, finishing tenth against the best young athletes in the world. By 2015, he had already claimed double silver at the European Junior Championships in Eskilstuna — in both the 400 meters and the decathlon — a clear sign that he possessed rare, multidimensional talent.

His early senior years hinted at something greater. He reached the semifinals of the 400m hurdles at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, gaining valuable experience on the biggest stage. But it was in 2017 that the world truly took notice. At the World Championships in London, the young Norwegian stunned the field by winning gold in the 400m hurdles. Fearless from the gun and relentless between the barriers, he introduced a bold, attacking style that would become his trademark.

From that breakthrough moment, his rise accelerated. He secured European gold in Berlin in 2018 and claimed the European indoor 400m title in Glasgow in 2019, equaling the long-standing European indoor record of 45.05. Later that same year, he added another global crown at the World Championships in Doha, firmly establishing himself as the dominant force in his event.

Then came August 3, 2021 — a date forever etched in athletics history. At the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Warholm produced one of the greatest performances the sport has ever witnessed. In a race of breathtaking intensity, he surged to Olympic gold and shattered the world record in the 400m hurdles with an astonishing 45.94 seconds. It was not just a victory; it was a redefinition of human possibility over barriers.

Champions are measured by how they respond to setbacks, and Warholm proved his resilience. After finishing seventh at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, he returned stronger, reclaiming world gold in Budapest in 2023 with a commanding 46.89. In 2024, he added Olympic silver in Paris, European gold in Rome, and World Indoor silver in Glasgow, reinforcing his consistency at the highest level.

Beyond the hurdles, his athletic profile remains extraordinary. He has run 10.47 for 100 meters, 21.09 for 200 meters, and 44.87 for 400 meters. He holds the Norwegian record in the 300 meters at 32.49 and has cleared 2.05 meters in the high jump and leapt 7.66 meters in the long jump. Indoors, he has clocked 20.91 for 200 meters, equaled the European 400m record of 45.05, and set a world best of 34.26 in the 300m hurdles. Few specialists in modern athletics combine such speed, power, and technical mastery.

From a small coastal town to the pinnacle of global sport, Karsten Warholm has carried Norwegian athletics into a new era. His career is defined not only by medals and records but by courage, intensity, and an uncompromising will to push beyond limits. As he celebrates another year, one truth stands firm — the Viking of the 400m hurdles is not simply competing against rivals; he is racing against history itself, and more often than not, he wins.