World Athletics Championships 2023: Karsten Warholm reigns supreme again as Kyron McMaster makes history in 400m hurdles
Norway's world record holder regains his world title in Budapest, while the British Virgin Islands claim their first ever World Championships medal through McMaster.
Athletics
Karsten Warholm reigns once more in the men's 400m hurdles.
A year after losing his world track and field title after an injury-hit 2022, the world record holder regained his crown in fine style at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on Wednesday (23 August).
The Norwegian was carrying an unbeaten streak heading into Budapest and once more showed why he is the king of the one-lap hurdles race.
He timed his race well, edging in front on the penultimate bend before starting to pull clear in the final 100m of the race. Upon crossing the line in a comfortable 46.89 seconds – only three other men aside himself have ever run faster – Warholm lifted both arms in the air in an understated celebration, the crowd going wild.
"It's my first gold medal for many years where there's been people in the stands," Warholm said after the race. "That was great. And also I had a tough season last year – I was injured, wasn't at my best. So to come here today and get my gold medal back, it feels very nice.
"When I saw that people were a bit of me at hurdle five… I know that no-one in the world is faster than me over the first five hurdles. And I know that if they are ahead of me, they used too much of their energy. So the last 100m was mine today.
"There were some months I was doubting myself going into Eugene last year. It's a different feeling going in there today knowing that you're super prepared and this race is yours to win."
Warholm later took a slow walk around the track as his traditional lap of honour, pausing often to salute the pockets of Norwegian fans in the crowd as well as to receive a viking hat from a fan.
Behind Warholm, history was being written. Kyron McMaster – fourth in the Olympic final at Tokyo 2020 – came home in second place (47.34), winning the first World Championships medal for the British Virgin Islands. McMaster looked visibly emotional after his second place was confirmed, pumping his fists in the air.
"I fulfilled a part of my dream tonight," he said later. "First thing was to get a medal, second step was to take three of the big three, I got second today so Warholm is still the target. But he knows that. This means the world to my country – I have been chasing this medal since 2017.
"Yesterday was my mum's birthday so my mum got a silver medal for her birthday – now she has a son who is a silver medallist."
A clearly disappointed Rai Benjamin finished third in 47.56. "I need to sit down with this one, feel all the feelings, I need to process it," the American said. "I expected so much of myself at these championships, I can run 46 seconds with my eyes closed. I just do not know what happened today at all."
Defending champion Alison dos Santos – who has struggled this season with injury – was fifth (48.10).
"I'm just happy, glad that I'm healthy right now and I can keep on running through my season," he told media after the race.