The star beat the 400m hurdles legend by more than 100m in a Nordic shootout at Zurich’s Letzigrund Stadium.
The Mondo Duplantis v Carsten Warholm battle on neutral ground in Zurich on Wednesday (September 4) was neutralized when the pole vault world record holder beat the 400m hurdler by a tenth of a second. 10.37 (0.1).
As many predicted, Duplantis got off to a better start but then maintained his lead until the end and even had the luxury of a brief showboating look at his rival as he crossed the finish line. “I’ve been watching too many Sha’Carri Richardson videos,” he later joked.
Both athletes were working outside their comfort zones, with Duplantis looking the most comfortable. Organizers Puma, Red Bull and Weltklasse Zurich announced that this was “100 meters to decide everything”. Of course, the victory of about one meter was small, but decisive.
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With this run, Duplantis is now 3rd in the Swedish 100m rankings for 2024. And then what? Bend over 60m at the European Indoor Championships? “Maybe if Sydney (McLaughlin-Levreau) doesn’t run in Brussels, we can run over 400m,” he smiled.
Warholm was magnanimous in defeat, although this was always a light clash, full of smiles and friendly trash-talking, but the Norwegian will not enjoy his “loser’s prize” to wear the Swedish outfit in the Diamond League on Thursday night when. both athletes will return to their specialty meet. “Got to clean up later,” she joked.
As a spectacle, the race was a great success. Around 2,600 spectators filled the home straight and some clever use of lighting, smoke and post-race fireworks kept the Letzigrund from feeling half-empty.
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There was also pre-race entertainment with break dancers, a sprint race to try and find ‘the next Mujinga Kambundji’ and of course the women’s pole vault competition at the town’s train station, which was won by Australia’s Nina Kennedy with 4.87m.
As the main race approached, there were many short interviews with elite athletes in the crowd. Both athletes appeared hooded like boxers about to enter the ring, while Warholm’s trainer Leif Olav Allnes wore a colorful and comical skin-tight suit with Viking horns.
The lights flashed across the arena and as the athletes took to the blocks, it was time to judge the accuracy of the many online polls that had attempted to predict the outcome.
Karsten Warholm, Colin Jackson, Mondo Duplantis (Getty)
The main hope was that it would not be an anti-climax. Notorious Donovan Bailey vs Michael Johnson 150m 1997 ended with Johnson getting injured mid-race. Everyone just wanted a good, close race with Warholm vs. Duplantis, and that’s what they got.
Back in 1997, shooter and World’s Strongest Man winner Jeff Capes beat distance runner Brendan Foster in the 200m race. It wasn’t a fluke, though, as Capes was known for his power and sprinting ability.
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Yet people are still talking about it today, and similarly, the Duplantis vs. Warholm race will no doubt be talked about for years to come.
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Still, is there a chance for a rematch? “If Mondo wants to, maybe,” Warholm said, “although I think it’s always going to be a one-off event.”
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