‘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.”



African Players in Europe: Salah Takes Liverpool Back to Top

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
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African Players in Europe: Salah Takes Liverpool Back to Top

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)

Mohamed Salah took Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League with the winning goal as the Reds came from behind to defeat Brighton 2-1 at the weekend.

It was the ninth goal of the season in all competitions for the 32-year-old Egypt captain and two-time African Player of the Year.

The goal came amid continuing speculation over the future of Salah, with his contract due to expire at the end of this season.

Here, AFP Sport highlights some African headline-makers in the major European leagues.

ENGLAND

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

The forward struck in the 72nd minute with a superb curling finish from the edge of the area. Liverpool are two points clear of second placed Manchester City after winning eight of their first 10 league games.

JORDAN AYEW (Leicester)

The Ghana forward was the Foxes' last-gasp hero again as he rescued a 1-1 draw at Ipswich. Steve Cooper's side were in danger of losing to winless Ipswich until Ayew came off the bench to strike from close-range deep in stoppage time. Ayew's third goal this season was his first since netting a stoppage-time winner in Leicester's 3-2 victory at Southampton in October.

ANTOINE SEMENYO (Bournemouth)

Ghana winger Semenyo helped the Cherries claim a shock 2-1 win against champions Manchester City. The 24-year-old netted in the ninth minute with a composed finish from Milos Kerkez's cut-back. It was the hosts first win against City at the 22nd attempt.

SPAIN

MUNIR EL HADDADI (Leganes)

Morocco international El Haddadi scored a brilliant goal against Girona in his team's 4-3 defeat. The 29-year-old Spain-born former Barcelona forward cut in from the right and launched a shot into the top corner from distance after 77 minutes having come off the bench just moments earlier. It was his second goal in two matches after netting for Leganes against Ciudad de Lucena in the Copa del Rey.

ITALY

ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (Atalanta)

The London-born Nigerian international grabbed two goals as Atalanta stunned Serie A leaders Napoli 3-0 in the sunshine at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium. Lookman's second goal, a curled shot after shaking off two Napoli defenders, was particularly memorable.

GERMANY

OMAR MARMOUSH (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Marmoush was on fire again in Eintracht Frankfurt's 7-2 demolition of Bundesliga tailenders Bochum, with the Egyptian named man of the match after scoring one goal and creating two. The 25-year-old Egyptian international curled home a free kick on 18 minutes. He has scored 10 goals this season, one less than Bayern Munich and England star Harry Kane.

SERHOU GUIRASSY (Borussia Dortmund)

Guirassy scored the winner as Borussia inflicted a first Bundesliga defeat of the season on RB Leipzig with a 2-1 home win. Probably the only Dortmund player who can hold his head high after recent poor form, Guirassy was a constant threat up front. With the match locked at 1-1 and half an hour remaining, the Guinea international headed in Maximilian Beier's looping cross.

FRANCE

ABDOULAYE TOURE (Le Havre)

Toure played a captain's role by scoring the only goal as Le Havre defeated Montpellier 1-0 in a battle of Ligue 1's bottom two clubs. The France-born Guinea international, who was key in the club's promotion to the top flight for this season, struck from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute after Mali international full-back Falaye Sacko was penalized for handball.