After his Olympic title associated with a world record (45 sec 94) in a memorable race in Tokyo last summer, all eyes were on the expressive Norwegian for his return to Rabat on Sunday in his favorite discipline.

Coming out of the starting blocks like a rocket, a habit with him, Warholm abruptly stopped his show after the first of ten obstacles in the 400m hurdles, holding the back of his right leg.

Quickly, his trainer Leif Olav Alnes came to join him, his protege freezing his hamstring.

"I'm very disappointed with this injury. I think it's a torn hamstring. I'll focus on healing to come back stronger. I'm also sorry for the public," said the Norwegian from 26 years old, become one of the stars of world athletics.

Norwegian Karsten Warholm during the 400m hurdles at the Berlin meeting on September 12, 2021 Odd ANDERSEN AFP / Archives

Instead of building up confidence, Warholm has just embarked on a race against the clock to defend his chances at the World Championships in Eugene, the big event of the season, when he is double champion. world title.

Thompson-Herah wins again

For lack of a crazy new time from Warholm, it was the local Soufiane El Bakkali who ignited the competition during the 3,000 m steeplechase, the last race of the evening.

The Olympic champion offered a new high-flying duel against his runner-up from Tokyo, the Ethiopian Lamecha Girma.

Stalled in the wake of Girma, the Moroccan took over on the last lap and took advantage of the work of his competitor to achieve a very fast time of 7 min 58 sec 28/100th and to be warmly congratulated by the local supporters and officials.

El Bakkali thus snatched the best world performance of the season from Girma, who had just clocked 7 min 58 sec 68/100th on Tuesday in Ostrava, and again completed the race in less than 8 minutes on Sunday (7:59.24).

Since 2015, no one other than these two athletes has descended under eight minutes in the 3,000m steeplechase, the mark of the very highest world level.

Sunday's race also marked the return to the top of the Kenyan reigning double world champion Conseslus Kipruto, 4th in 8 min 12 sec 47/100th, who had not managed a very high level race since 2019.

Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah at the meeting in Eugene, Oregon, May 28, 2022 Soobum Im Getty / AFP / Archives

Jamaican Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah remained undefeated this season with a time of 10 sec 83/100th over 100 m (+0.3 m/s wind).

The American Olympic vice-champion Kenny Bednarek won the 200m in 20 sec 21 (+2 m/s wind).

The French were not successful in Rabat: Jimmy Gressier (12th) and Azeddine Habz (15th) missed their 1,500m due to an unrecalled false start problem.

Aurore Fleury (11th in 4 min 07 sec 78 in the 1,500m) failed at 58/100 of the level of performance requested by the French federation for the Worlds, also missed by Rénelle Lamote in the 800m (1:53.89), Ludvy Vaillant ( 49.74, 6th) and Wilfried Happio (49.27, 3rd) over 400m hurdles.

© 2022 AFP