Qatar's Samba and Barshim sparkle in IAAF Dimond League in Oslo
OSLO, NORWAY, June 8, 2018 - A stunning meeting record of 47.60 by Qatar's Abderrahman Samba in the men's 400m hurdles proved the highlight of the Bislett Games in Oslo on Thursday night (7), the fifth stop of the 2018 IAAF Diamond League.
The race was billed as a head-to-head clash between Samba and close rival Karsten Warholm, the 2017 world champion from Norway who was relishing the chance to compete in front of a home crowd after his national record of 47.82 in Rome last week.
Warholm again blitzed through the opening 300 metres after the gun set the eight athletes on their way, but once again it was Samba who finished stronger, the Asian record holder powering over the final two barriers with crisp technique – something Warholm struggled with over the final two barriers – to come home in 47.60 to Warholm's 48.22. Turkey's Yasmani Copello finished third in 48.54.
“That was Samba over the hurdles," said Samba, in reference to the Brazilian dance style. “I cannot say I was confident coming into the last hurdle, but I have better endurance in the last metres. I'm enjoying life and hoping to continue to run fast next time in Stockholm."
Warholm was far from disconsolate in second. This is the second best race of my career and I'm happy with it," he said. “I'm excited to sit down with my coach and see where I can improve before Stockholm on Sunday."
On the same track of victory, Mutaz Essa Barshim made it an even more successful night for Qatar, the world champion once again peerless in the men's high jump, which he won with a best of 2.36m, which he cleared at the first attempt to beat rival Danil Lysenko into second, the neutral athlete managing a best of 2.33m.
“I really wanted to break the meet record but it was not to be today," said Barshim, who will next compete in Ostrava.
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