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Any 400m runner knows it\u2019s good to get into pole position at the end of the first lap in an indoor race. Anyone attacking from behind finds it difficult to overtake \u2013 and the bends in the Atak\u00f6y Athletics Arena in Istanbul are particularly tight.<\/p>\n
Karsten Warholm employed these tactics in the men\u2019s 400m final at the European Indoor Championships on Saturday (March 4) but took it to the extreme with a near-suicidal first 200m of 20.84. The Norwegian 400m hurdles world record-holder held on to win, but it looked painful as he ran his second 200m in 24.51 as Julien Watrin almost caught him on the line after running a Belgian record of 45.44 for silver.<\/p>\n
Karsten Warholm (Getty)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cIt was stupid but it\u2019s me wanting probably a bit too much,\u201d said Warholm, his legs still swimming with lactic moments after the race. \u201cBut that\u2019s also the athlete who has got me to where I am today.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m glad I got away with the gold medal. I gave it probably a little bit too much but it\u2019s the way I am and that\u2019s how I do it. I\u2019m not disappointed with that. It\u2019s me trying and testing things and to get a gold medal was the main goal today.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI like running without the hurdles and I\u2019m going to be doing more of it in the future.\u201d @kwarholm<\/a> on his 400m ambitions after a second Euro Indoor title in the distance \ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udcf9 @Jason_AW<\/a>
\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f @BackstraightB<\/a> #Istanbul2023<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/dRZ42gB4pA<\/a><\/p>\n\u2014 AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 4, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Carl Bengtstrom of Sweden took bronze in 45.77 as defending champion Oscar Husillos of Spain was fourth in 46.24 \u2013 just two hundredths of a second slower than the time he ran in 2021 to claim the title.<\/p>\n
Bad news for Warholm\u2019s rivals in the 400m flat is that the Norwegian plans to run more races minus barriers. \u201cI like running without hurdles and I\u2019m going to do more of it in the future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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