English
Karsten Warholm hates losing more than anything. And now it has happened twice in a row – against the very same man: Alison dos Santos.
On Wednesday, June 10, they will clash again. This time at Bislett Stadium. And one thing is certain: the desire for revenge will be blazing in the eyes of the Norwegian superstar.
The Brazilian has had the upper hand so far this season. First in Shanghai/Keqiao on May 16, where he edged out Warholm in the 300 meter hurdles by the slimmest of margins: 33.01 to 33.05.
Just eight days later, it happened again in Xiamen – this time in Warholm’s favorite event, the 400 meter hurdles. Once again, dos Santos came out on top with 46.72 against Warholm’s 46.82.
“It’s frustrating to finish second. It annoys me because I always want to win,” a visibly frustrated Warholm said after the race.
Still, this is far from a statistical domination. Warholm has in fact run faster than his Xiamen time on nine previous occasions.
And dos Santos? It was only the fifth-fastest race of his career.
So what happens now that Warholm has had time to recover and prepare for a showdown on home soil?
One thing is certain: the Brazilian arrives at Bislett overflowing with confidence. In April, he stormed to an impressive 44.38 in the flat 400 meters – a personal best and a frightening warning to his rivals.
But Bislett is Warholm’s arena.
This revenge battle could easily become the highlight of the evening. Backed by the home crowd, Warholm is chasing both his first victory of the season over his rival and a chance to reinforce his overall advantage in their head-to-head record, which currently stands at 12–5 in favor of the Norwegian.
This will be intense. This will be personal. This is something you do not want to miss.
Other confirmed athletes: Abderrahman Samba from Qatar, Trevor Bassitt from the USA, Matheus Lima from Brazil, and Carl Bengtström from Sweden.