Ostrava (Czech Republic) (AFP)

His supersonic weather at the end of August had raised the wildest expectations, but the Norwegian Karsten Warholm remained a good distance from Kevin Young's world record in the 400m hurdles on Tuesday in Ostrava (Czech Republic).

Warholm largely won, as usual, but this time in a time of 47 sec 62, a world-class time but rather modest compared to his first two outings of the year.

The 24-year-old Norwegian had indeed slammed 47 sec 10 in Monaco on August 14 then especially 46 sec 87 on August 23 in Stockholm, European record and second fastest time in history just nine hundredths from the legendary record (46.78) of the American Kevin Young in 1992 at the Barcelona Games.

Placed in lane eight, as in Stockholm, Warholm clearly slowed down before the 9th hurdle by stomping, going from 13 to 15 strides between two hurdles, in a race also marked by a false start.

"It's always good to win," he tempered in the mixed zone as he easily beat Frenchman Ludvy Vaillant (49.14, his best time this season).

"I was a little surprised by the clock today, to be honest I thought it would be faster. But hey it's sport ... you have to be happy with it."

"It's not a big deal (the trampling before the 9th hurdle), I needed to do it then, but it's costing me a really good time, he added. what disturbs the rhythm is obviously bad for the stopwatch ".

- Taylor at 17.46m in the triple jump -

Even without a record, the Norwegian continues to bring to light his discipline, one of the most demanding in athletics, shunned after the turn of the millennium and then sublimated for three years by his performances and those of his Qatari rivals Abderrahman Samba and American Rai Benjamin.

Since 2018, the three phenomena have run 18 times in less than 47 sec 50 (a time that would have offered them five of the last six Olympic titles).

Between 2001 and 2017, this barrier had only been crossed 11 times.

Warholm should have another chance to challenge the world record on September 17 at the Diamond League meeting in Rome.

In the triple jump, the American Christian Taylor surprised the Burkinabé Hugues-Fabrice Zango by stealing the victory and the best world performance of the year on his last attempt (17.46 m against 17.42 m, -0.4 m / s of wind for both).

Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo won a very tough 5,000m in 12:48:63 ahead of Ethiopian Selemon Barega (12: 49.08), while Britons Laura Muir (1: 58.84) and Jake Wightman (1: 44.18) have shone over 800 m.

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