In 47.12, Warholm crushed the competition, pushing Frenchman Wilfried Happio to nearly a second and a half (48.56), Turkey's Yasmani Copello taking bronze in 48.78.

After a thunderous start, Karsten Warholm returned to his best to finally bring some sunshine to a hitherto depressing season.

At its lowest after a hamstring tear on June 5 for his recovery in Rabat (Morocco), it was in Munich, already, that he had laid the foundations for his return, beginning his healing process with the famous doctor Müller-Wohlfahrt whom Usain Bolt consulted in his time.

#photo1

Too short at the Eugene Worlds last month, Warholm had exploded during the final, taking an anecdotal 7th place.

"It's extraordinary to find the victory", appreciated at the microphone of the stadium the Norwegian, not accustomed to defeats like the one suffered last month.

In Munich, the "GOAT" (Greatest of all time, the best of all time) according to the French Wilfried Happio, regained its place, the first, he who is now Olympic champion, double world champion and double champion of Europe.

He had won in Tokyo in 2021 a race that entered the legend of Olympism, smashing the world record for the discipline (45.94).

Before him, another 400m hurdles star had left his mark on the Munich evening.

The Dutch Femke Bol won over the hurdles to achieve an unprecedented double at the European Athletics Championships, men and women combined, two days after her victory in the 400m flat.

#photo2

The Olympic bronze medalist in the 400m hurdles last summer and recent vice-world champion in the specialty, won in 52 sec 67 in her favorite race, well ahead of two Ukrainians, Viktoriya Tkachuk (54.30) and Anna Ryzhykova ( 54.86).

She had taken up the first part of her challenge by winning the 400m (49.44) on Wednesday evening.

Bol can even dream of a hat-trick in Bavaria, since the Dutch will be among the favorites for the final of the women's 4x400m relay on Saturday evening.

In the 400m hurdles, Bol is the third best performer in the world of all time since her 52 sec 03 run in the Olympic final in Tokyo, a European record.

Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji (22.32) beat British defending champion Dina Asher-Smith (22.43) over 200m to clinch her first European gold medal in the individual event.

© 2022 AFP