BUDAPEST (VG) Carsten Warholm, 27, responds forcefully to those who wanted him out after the 400m hurdles World Cup semi-final.
1 out of 5Photo: Bjorn S. Dilibek / VG
Warholm took over Wednesday night superior gold And in the 400-meter hurdles, with a time of 46.89 seconds, ahead of Kieron McMaster (47.34) and Ray Benjamin (47.56). He is the first to win three World Championship gold medals in this event. But then he got emotional when asked about the semi-final drama.
And in the aftermath of Monday’s semi-final, there was drama when Italy lodged a protest against Warholm. They thought he crossed the second hurdle erratically, and they thought the Norwegian should have been thrown off.
The jury rejected the protest because it was too late. Had Italy protested and Warholm gone, Alessandro Sibilio would have made it to the final.
– When I saw the first picture, I have to honestly admit I thought it “didn’t look good”. But for me it turned into a form of aggression. Because one photo alone was used. No-one has accurate the photos as fair, says Warholm in a longer answer when asked about the protest.
– So the US was there (the jury room) with a lawyer and a whole bunch. You know Americans use lawyers for everything. They were desperate. “If you can’t beat them, you have to try to eliminate them somehow.” The Italians were there.
Warholm continues without stopping:
Rules are in place to ensure a fair sport. I can tell you that I didn’t make a huge profit on the second hedge. But I always overdo the fence a lot. What happened is the track is too fast and I got too close.
Watch the semi-final race contested here:
Warholm missed public support in the hours after the race.
– What bothered me a bit and that I had to work to put behind me was that it took several hours before someone showed me the pictures which I felt did my case justice. It was kind of about executing and building the dramatic moment. “Does everyone want to wash me?” I felt. It felt a little rubbish. But then I thought: “I don’t care, I’ll show them in the final.”
– I’ve done it many times before, and people have used it before me, but I know how to jump fences properly. I do not cheat.
Warholm believes the case should have been closed much sooner. Coach Lev Olaf praises Alnes for dealing with him.
– He’s much cooler than me. He just said, “Karsten, screw this up.” If this becomes the case, they will see the bastard living inside of me. Then I’ll show you.” He’ll go to war for me. But I admit the first pictures didn’t look good. But there are always two sides to any issue, he says toilet king.
He believes that competitors and pundits will be watching him closely in the future.
– One hundred percent, and they have been for a long time. I’m a little stiff in the hip, so it seems a little crazy. But I always turn so far to the right that I never set foot in the next lane. “It’s about the angles,” says Warholm.
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