2019 IAAF World Championships

Warholm, Williams Make Statements With World Leads In London

Warholm, Williams Make Statements With World Leads In London

In London, Karsten Warholm smashed his own European record in the 400m hurdles, while Danielle Williams set a world lead in the women's 100m hurdles.

Jul 20, 2019 by Kevin Sully
Warholm, Williams Make Statements With World Leads In London

Karsten Warholm reaffirmed that the men’s 400m hurdles is more than just a two-man race. 

The Norwegian broke his own European record, blowing away the field from the gun to win in 47.12 on the first day of the London Diamond League. 

Earlier this year in Oslo, Warholm ran 47.33, a significant personal best at the time. The run in London moved him ahead of Rai Benjamin (47.16) and Abderrahman Samba (47.27) on the yearly list and put in play the possibility of three men going under 47 seconds this year. Samba has already dipped under the mark with his 46.98 from 2018. The world record stands at 46.78.

Danielle Williams dropped a 12.32 to break the Jamaican record to win the women’s 100m hurdles. Williams hinted at a fast final when she ran 12.41 in the heats earlier in the day, a personal best by .07. 

In the final, she separated herself from the field by the mid-way point, finishing well clear of runner-up Nia Ali (12.57). The 12.32 is the best in the world this year and ties her for the 15th best mark in history. Only six women have ever run faster. 

As of now, however, Williams will not compete at the World Championships. A false start at the Jamaican trials, and subsequent protestations by Williams, led to the race being canceled. The Jamaican federation later said that Williams would not be eligible for selection

Muir, Gebrhiwet Kick To Wins; Jakob Ingebrigtsen Breaks Norweigan Record

Laura Muir didn’t get a rematch with Faith Kipyegon, but she did come away with the win in the women's 1500m. Kipyegon, the Olympic and world champion who narrowly beat Muir at the Prefontaine Classic, scratched before the race putting Muir into the role of favorite in front of her home crowd. Muir responded with a last lap of 57.54 to win in 3:58.25. 

Muir moved to the front at the bell and was followed by Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen, who shadowed Muir along the backstretch. Off the final curve, Muir dropped Klosterhalfen and the only question was Muir's time and margin of victory. 

Klosterhalfen faded down the home stretch and took fifth in 4:00.43. Gabriela Debues-Stafford broke the Canadian record in third with a time of 4:00.26.

Hagos Gebrhiwet took the men’s 5000m, just three days after running a lifetime best to win the Ethiopian 10,000m trials. Gebrhiwet closed fast to win in 13:01.86 just ahead of Jakob Ingebrigtsen who ran a Norwegian record of 13:02.03. Ingebrigtsen’s time is a lifetime best by 15 seconds and his third consecutive runner-up finish in the Diamond League. 

Wisconsin grad Morgan McDonald placed ninth in 13:18.91 in his professional debut. 

Simbine, Thompson Take Sprints; Amos Hurt In 800m

Five men broke 10 seconds in men’s 100m, led by South Africa’s Akani Simbine. Simbine squeaked out a close win in 9.93, ahead of Zharnel Hughes (9.95), Yohan Blake (9.97), Yuki Koike (9.98) and Andre De Grasse 9.99

In the women’s 200m, Elaine Thompson turned in another strong performance. Thompson pulled away from Marie-Josee Ta Lou to win 22.13 to Ta Lou’s 22.36

The anticipated men’s 800m fizzled when Nijel Amos, fresh off a sub 1:42 in Monaco, pulled up 150 meters into the race. Ferguson Rotich won in 1:43.14 ahead of Wyclife Kinyamal, who set a season-best of 1:43.48. Emmanuel Korir ran 1:44.75 for eighth. 

Amos was carted off the track and broadcasters speculated that he had suffered a hamstring injury. It was a busy last week for Amos. Four days after his 1:41.89 in Monaco, he ran 44.99 in the 400m.