Warholm sets world best in 300m hurdles in Oslo Diamond League

Norway’s Karsten Warholm shattered the previous best time over the newly official 300m hurdles at the Diamond League meet in Oslo on Thursday.

Warholm battled back down the home straight to time 32.67 seconds, bettering his own 33.05sec set in the opening meet on the circuit in Xiamen, China.

He roared through the line and ripped off his singlet, smacking his chest in delight when he saw the time flash up on the stadium big screen.

The 300m hurdles, an event that was granted official status earlier this year, is yet to have a ratified world record.

Warholm, reigning world champion and world record holder in the 400m hurdles, was up against Bislett debutant Rai Benjamin of the USA, the Olympic champion, and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos.

The trio’s personal bests are the three fastest times ever run in the 400m hurdles. Between them they own the 19 fastest races in the event’s history and also won all medals at both the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games.

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Crowing rights in the shortened race, however, went to Warholm, much to the delight of the packed-out 15,000-seater Bislett Stadium.

Benjamin faltered as he neared the line, but still had enough to come in second in a personal best of 33.22sec.

Dos Santos, who had beaten Warholm over 400m hurdles in Oslo last season, rounded out the podium in 33.38sec.

Alfred scorches Diamond League 100m in Oslo

Olympic champion Julien Alfred coasted to victory in the women’s 100m in the Oslo Diamond League on Thursday.

Alfred made history at the Olympics last summer when she won a first ever medal for her tiny island homeland of Saint Lucia.

She was in a different class in the Norwegian capital, clocking 10.89 seconds for the victory in front of a 15,000 sell-out crowd at the Bislett Stadium.

Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt, making his first return to Oslo since his retirement in 2017, presented a grinning Alfred with a bouquet of flowers as she made a winning start to her Diamond League title defence.

“It was my first race of the season, so I was a little rusty, but I got the win under my belt, which is the main thing,” said Alfred. “And I got to meet Usain Bolt — yesterday for the first time ever and then two days running I got to meet him again!”

Ivorian veteran Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith finished second in 11.00 sec, with Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith rounding out the podium (11.08).

“For the race itself, I just wanted to be competitive,” added Alfred. “I head to Stockholm now, so I have to rest and travel and compete again quickly, but I will go to win again. As for my season, I am Olympic champion, so I am the one to beat, but I want to add world champion to my name as well as Olympic champion.”