From pole vault to 100m: Duplantis beats Warholm in 10.37 seconds
Some spectators at the Weltklasse Wanda Diamond League in Zurich on Thursday may spot an unexpected sight: Karsten Warholm, the three-time world 400m hurdles champion from Norway, sporting a Swedish kit during his main race.
Warholm hasn’t switched allegiances overnight; he’s honouring a light-hearted wager after losing a 100m race to pole vault world record holder, Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis.
The unusual turn of events unfolded in front of a packed Letzigrund Stadion on Wednesday evening, on the eve of the main Diamond League meeting. The friendly rivalry between Warholm and Duplantis began last year when the reigning Olympic pole vault champion challenged the Norwegian star during a training session ahead of the Monaco Diamond League.
Duplantis, known for rewriting the pole vault world record 10 times, didn’t just give the fastest 400m hurdler in history a good run. After entering the arena wearing boxing-style robes, the two athletes faced off in an exhilarating race, as reported by World Athletics.
Duplantis quickly gained the upper hand, bursting out of the blocks to lead from start to finish. He crossed the line in 10.37 seconds (0.1m/s), setting a new personal best—0.2 seconds faster than his high school record in 2018. Warholm finished close behind in 10.47 seconds, shaving 0.02 seconds off his lifetime best, set six years ago.
“I’ve got to give it to Mondo—he beat me fair and square,” Warholm admitted. “He got out of the blocks really fast. It was a great race.”
The thrilling showdown captivated the crowd, including Fred Kerley, the 2022 world 100m champion from the US, who had practiced starts with Duplantis in preparation for the event.
“I’m pretty fired up,” an elated Duplantis said afterward. “Since the Olympics, I haven’t touched a pole in training, only blocks. I love to sprint; it’s the greatest thing ever. There’s no better feeling than that split second before the gun goes off. It’s like the biggest bundle of energy you could ever have.”
Warholm, too, had sought expert advice before the race, revealing that he sent his block start videos to sprint legend Usain Bolt. “He said, ‘You shouldn’t walk out of the blocks. You should push.’”
Despite the tips, Warholm couldn’t match Duplantis on the day. As a result, he’ll be donning a Swedish uniform during the 400m hurdles in Zurich—a playful forfeit agreed upon after his defeat.
