‘I Dream About it Like a Maniac’ Says Warholm after Record-Breaking Gold

Karsten Warholm of Norway celebrates after winning gold and setting a world record in the men's 400-meter hurdle final. (Reuters)
Karsten Warholm of Norway celebrates after winning gold and setting a world record in the men's 400-meter hurdle final. (Reuters)
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‘I Dream About it Like a Maniac’ Says Warholm after Record-Breaking Gold

Karsten Warholm of Norway celebrates after winning gold and setting a world record in the men's 400-meter hurdle final. (Reuters)
Karsten Warholm of Norway celebrates after winning gold and setting a world record in the men's 400-meter hurdle final. (Reuters)

Karsten Warholm was still patiently making his way through the media “mixed zone” more than an hour after his stunning, world-record-destroying run in the 400m hurdles on Tuesday, and still he seemed unable to absorb the enormity of his achievement.

It was hardly surprising. The Norwegian won Olympic gold in an incredible 45.94 seconds, taking almost a whole second off his own world record of 46.70 from last month in an event where progress is usually measured in hundredths. American Silver medalist Rai Benjamin was also miles inside the old mark in 46.17 as the race more than lived up to its Tokyo top billing.

“Man it’s so crazy. It’s by far the biggest moment of my life,” Warholm said. “You know the cliche that it hasn’t sunk in yet? I don’t think it has, but I feel ecstatic. “I told myself going in to the race to remember all the work you have put in. I can’t describe how important this is for me. This is what I do morning until night, it’s huge.

“I dream about it like a maniac. I sleep all night on it. I spend all my time thinking about this, thousands of hours, so just getting this last medal into my collection, it’s complete.”

Warholm delivered a technically brilliant race, maintaining his positional advantage over Rai, on the lane inside him, through the first 300 meters.

The American briefly threatened to pull level as they sprung into the final straight but the double world champion pushed again and was a clear winner.

However, having put his name up alongside some of the all-time greats of athletics history, he was still able to somehow suggest there is room for improvement.

“I can’t believe the time, it’s so fast,” he said. “A lot of the time I am asked about the perfect race. I said it didn’t exist but this is the closest I’ve ever come. I didn’t touch one hurdle. I was even able to find another gear coming home, so ‘wow’.

“I had a world championship, European championship, the world record, the European record, but the Olympic gold medal is what everybody talks about. I knew this race was going to be the toughest of my life, but I was ready.

“Now I need to set myself new goals, I don’t think I’m done yet.”



Pro-Palestinian Supporters Stage Protest at French Football Federation over Israel Game

This photograph taken on June 3, 2024, shows logos of the French Football Federation (FFF) during a press conference to announce the pre-selection of the players who will take part in the upcoming training camp of France's men's Olympic football team, at the FFF headquarters in Paris. (AFP)
This photograph taken on June 3, 2024, shows logos of the French Football Federation (FFF) during a press conference to announce the pre-selection of the players who will take part in the upcoming training camp of France's men's Olympic football team, at the FFF headquarters in Paris. (AFP)
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Pro-Palestinian Supporters Stage Protest at French Football Federation over Israel Game

This photograph taken on June 3, 2024, shows logos of the French Football Federation (FFF) during a press conference to announce the pre-selection of the players who will take part in the upcoming training camp of France's men's Olympic football team, at the FFF headquarters in Paris. (AFP)
This photograph taken on June 3, 2024, shows logos of the French Football Federation (FFF) during a press conference to announce the pre-selection of the players who will take part in the upcoming training camp of France's men's Olympic football team, at the FFF headquarters in Paris. (AFP)

Pro-Palestinian supporters staged a protest Monday at the French football federation to call for the cancellation of a Nations League game between France and Israel this month.

Video footage of their action posted on social media and circulating in French media showed protesters inside the federation's headquarters in Paris lying on the floor or holding placards with political slogans and Palestinian flags.

Some protesters also chanted: “No, no, no to the France-Israel game at the Stade de France.”

The French soccer federation did not immediately respond to a request for comments from The Associated Press.

According to local media, the demonstrators were calmly evacuated by police.

French authorities confirmed last month that the match would go ahead with fans allowed in the stadium after Italy hosted Israel in the same competition without incident despite security concerns.

The Nov. 14 match at the Stade de France will be played against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East which has spread to Lebanon after more than a year-long war in Gaza.

Israel's match against Italy was the first match the country has played outside neutral Hungary this year. After the Israel-Hamas war started on Oct. 7 last year, the national soccer team played in Kosovo and Andorra last November.

All Israel matches since then have been in Hungary, including a game against Belgium in the Nations League after the Belgian Football Association refused to host the game for security reasons.