SAINT-DENIS, France – SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Norwegian world record holder Karsten Warholm recorded the fastest time in the 400m hurdles in Monday’s qualifying as he bids to defend his Olympic title.
Warholm will likely face a strong challenge to retain his crown in Paris from Rai Benjamin, the American who recorded the fastest time this year, and Alison dos Santos, the Brazilian who beat Warholm at home just over a month ago.
The trio seems to bring out the best in each other. This was evident at the 2021 Tokyo Games, when Warholm broke his own world record to win gold.
Warholm was already challenged in the opening heat, having to accelerate in the final meters to hold off Clement Ducos, from France.
Warholm qualified with the fastest time of 47.57 seconds.
Benjamin raced to the finish to win his heat in 48.82. Dos Santos almost slowed down too much at the end of the heat, crossing third in 48.75 to secure the final spot in automatic qualification.
Dos Santos ran in lane 2, which he said “is a horrible feeling.”
But the Brazilian never tires of competing against Warholm and Benjamin.
“It’s amazing to be a part of this,” said Dos Santos, who dyed his hair purple to match the color of the Stade de France track.
The 400 hurdles semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, with the final on Friday.
There will be a new Olympic champion in the women’s 400 meters after Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo gold medalist Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who was injured at the Bahamas qualifiers in June, stopped mid-heat and was eliminated.
Tokyo silver medalist and defending world champion Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic led the 400 heats in 49.42.
Also in the morning preliminaries, world indoor pole vault champion Molly Caudery of Great Britain missed all three of her 4.55 meter attempts and did not advance; while world record holder Mykolas Alekna of Lithuania comfortably qualified for the discus throw final with a shot of 67.47.
Later, Monday, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis he could try to extend his world record in the pole vault final; It is Dutch runner Sifan Hassan seeks the first of three possible gold medals in the women’s 5,000 meters.
Medals would also be awarded in the women’s 800m and women’s discus throw.
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