Karsten Warholm was at his vintage best in winning the 400m hurdles in the Silesia Diamond League on Saturday (16) afternoon.
After slumping to a third-place finish in his last 400m hurdles in Stockholm in mid-June, a rejuvenated Warholm stormed to the third fastest time in history with 46.28 - a time which even surprised Warholm himself - with the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo less than a month away.
“I think today was a very good race. I was a little bit surprised that it was this good. But still I knew that I was very fast in the training camps that I did. It shows that I am on the right way. To me this was a very good start to the second half of my season. I think it is promising towards Tokyo,” said Warholm.
Drawn in lane eight, Warholm made up the stagger on Trevor Bassitt on his outside lane by the second hurdle and the world record-holder continued to plough a destructive path to victory in 46.28, a time which was only surpassed in the Olympic final in Tokyo where both Warholm (45.94) and Rai Benjamin (46.19) ducked inside the previous world record.
Warholm and Benjamin look destined to renew their rivalry on the very same track next month. The Norwegian also seized the world lead from Benjamin, improving his mark of 46.54 from his victory in Stockholm over Warholm down to 46.28.
Sub-52 seconds for Bol
Femke Bol was also in imperious form as she won the women's 400m hurdles in 51.91, eclipsing her world lead by 0.04 to continue her unbeaten campaign in her specialist event in 2025.
Bol won by over one-and-a-half seconds from former European U23 champion Emma Zapletalova who reduced her Slovakian record from 53.75 to 53.58.
In the heats of the 100m hurdles, former two-time European indoor 60m hurdles champion Nadine Visser sped to a sensational 12.28 clocking, fourth on the European all-time list and the fastest time by a European since 1992, to qualify fastest for the final.
However, the Dutchwoman lost her balance after hitting several of the barriers hard and finished eighth in the final in 12.60.