Alexander Doom on how it feels to beat "living legends" like Karsten Warholm and Noah Lyles
Ever the team player, when Dylan Borlée forgot to bring his 4x400m world indoor gold medal for a photo op with Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Alexander Doom stepped up for his teammate: "Here, have one of mine."
The one-lap wonder had won double gold at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March, claiming the scalps of two icons of the sport while he was at it.
Norway's superstar athlete Karsten Warholm was first to fall foul of a fast-charging Doom in the 400m flat at the Glasgow arena in front of a raucous crowd, as he beat the Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles in a national record of 45.25.
Warholm, the three-time outdoor 400m hurdles world champion and world-record holder, was unbeaten in an indoor 400m since making his debut in the discipline in 2013.
A day later, Doom replicated the game plan, overtaking Christopher Bailey of Team USA at the last second to help his team secure 4x400m relay gold. Jonathan Sacoor, Borlée and Christian Iguacel beat the US team, of Jacory Patterson and Matthew Boling, and triple world champion, Noah Lyles.
On speaking to the 26-year-old post-race, Doom, who is next plying his trade at the Diamond League in Rabat/Marrakech on 19 May, revealed his thoughts to Olympics.com on his epic conquests.
Gold fever for Belgian Alexander Doom
There's no way when you came into this competition thinking you'd walk away with two gold medals, is there?
Laughing, Doom replied: "Actually, we didn't focus on individually, we were really focused on the 4x400m. We know we always have a chance at the 4x400m to win a medal. In the last two years, we took four medals in the last five competitions, so we had a lot of confidence in the team."
Of the moment he beat the 400m hurdles world record holder, though, Doom smiled: "Yesterday was an amazing night for me individually.
"It's really amazing to beat an Olympic champion and world champion," said the man who had roared with delight on crossing the finishing line. "It gives a lot of motivation.
"It's the first time I raced against him. Last year I was injured at Istanbul. So it's the first time for me and really happy to run against him, to run against the living legends."
For his part, Warholm was as gracious in defeat – despite the lack of practice – as he is in triumph, wishing his conqueror the best of luck for the all-important outdoor season in which the Olympic Games looms large.
“It was a last-minute decision to come here," said Warholm, whose last race before Glasgow had been the Diamond League final in Eugene in September. “I didn't have time to do all the winter work I usually do, so I was feeling it a bit with the rounds.
"As long as I didn't get any injuries, it was all OK. Of course, I wish I had won today, but it was so nice coming out here and performing in front of all that noise.”
"All that noise," was a reference to the hugely enthused crowds in Glasgow, who provided just a taster of the atmosphere that will be seen in Paris at the iconic Stade de France when the athletics takes place from 1-11 August as fans return after a necessarily muted Tokyo 2020.
Someone who will definitely enjoy the return of the fans on the biggest stage of all is one Noah Lyles, the characterful US sprinter who tried his hand at 4x400m relay in Scotland after claiming silver in the 60m. The second-place finish in the 4x400m for the Americans came at the hands of that man Doom again.
History repeated by Doom over US men's relay team
Did you expect Doom to try to do what he did to Warholm last night, was the question posed to Bailey, the anchor-leg runner for USA who had received the baton in first place in the 4x400m from Lyles.
"Yeah, that was on my mind but more so I was mainly focused on myself. I'm only in control of what I can do. I went out there and did my best, so I'm proud of the outcome regardless.
"I knew I had the new world champion behind me, so it was gonna be tough," said the 23-year-old who was part of the quartet that won outdoor world gold in the discipline in 2023.
"It's really funny that they think that I could do it again," Doom smiled when Olympics told him what the US team had said moments earlier. "I'm happy with how everything went. I felt actually a little bit tired after yesterday. The first 200m went really good. The last 50m was really hard for me but I know I can push until the end, and it paid off with the second gold medal with the team now. So yeah, really extremely happy."
You've said 'my two gold medals' a number of times now, but has it registered yet?
"It's really strange actually because we didn't want to run individually and now we have two gold medals. It's something really unique also, the whole Belgium squad has done some amazing things this week, so I'm so proud of everyone. It's really a team effort, so I'm really happy with that."
Always a team-focused athlete, Doom's world and European medals – until this competition in Glasgow – were all in the 4x400m relay: world outdoor bronze, world indoor gold and European silver, all in 2022; and European indoor gold in 2023.
One thing missing from his repertoire, however, is an Olympic medal. He came close at Tokyo 2020, with fifth place in the inaugural mixed relay event, and even closer with fourth place in the men's 4x400m.
Doom will be hoping to be selected for his second Olympiad after he and his teammates Borlée, Robin Vanderbemden and Sacoor – obtained a quota for the 4x400m men's relay at Paris 2024 courtesy of finishing in the top 14 teams at the World Relay Championships in the Bahamas in May.
Finishing with a bronze medal behind Botswana and South Africa, Belgium also secured berths in the mixed 4x400m relay and women's 4x400m relays.
But, for now, Doom's focus is turned toward the Diamond League, and the European Championships in Rome from 7-12 June, in which he now looks good for an individual medal.
Should he be selected for his second Olympiad, there's another team member who won't be there but won't be forgotten.
Julien Watrin, a two-time Olympian and the previous national record holder in the indoor 400m had texted his compatriot the night before the individual race in Glasgow, saying that he believed his friend could take his record. Duly achieved, emotion was at the core of Doom's celebrations, with Watrin having been diagnosed with testicular cancer last year.
“We were very motivated by everything that happened with Julien,” Doom told European Athletics. “He asked us to run as fast as possible so that’s the thing we tried to do for him – the only thing we can do for him. He gives us inspiration, motivation. His fight is a lot harder than our fight, so I’m really happy we could take the victory for him.”
Alexander Doom of Belgium crosses the finish line before Karsten Warholm of Norway to win the men's 400m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 2024