Karsten Warholm breaks Kevin Young's 29-year-old 400m hurdles world record
- Published
Norway's Karsten Warholm ran 46.70 seconds to set a new men's 400m hurdles world record in front of his home crowd at the Diamond League meeting in Oslo.
Warholm beat 1992 Olympic champion Kevin Young's mark of 46.78secs, the longest-standing record in men's track.
The two-time world champion, 25, finished ahead of Alison dos Santos (47.38) and Yasmani Copello (48.86).
In the women's 5,000m, Britain's Eilish McColgan broke Paula Radcliffe's 17-year-old British record.
McColgan, who will compete at her third Olympic Games this summer, clocked 14mins 28.55secs to beat Radcliffe's previous mark of 14:29.11.
The Scot, 30, finished fourth behind Hellen Obiri (14:26.38), Fantu Worku (14:26.80) and Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi (14:28.24).
'This was just a perfect moment'
Warholm, who will compete against America's Rai Benjamin and Qatar's Abderrahman Samba as the three favourites for the Olympic title in Tokyo, said: "I knew that I had fast times in my body for a long time, but it's one thing to know you're in good shape and another to go out and perform.
"This was just a perfect moment, everyone's talking about this world record that's been standing for many, many years - it's older than me actually.
"I knew I had it in me but of course it's very special to do it, I'm just really happy and really proud, it's an amazing moment."
Warholm's record came just days after 21-year-old American Sydney McLaughlin set a new women's 400m hurdles world record with a time of 51.90 seconds in the final of the US Olympic athletics trials in Oregon.
Ivorian sprinter Marie-Josee Ta Lou beat Britain's Daryll Neita in the 100m with a season's-best time of 10.91, enough to see off the second fastest British woman in history's 11.06.
American Kate Grace shrugged off a disappointing seventh-placed finish at last week's US Olympic trials to produce a personal-best time of 1:57.60 and win the 800m in dominant fashion.
That time was enough to hold off world champion Halimah Nakaayi (1:58.70) in second.
Elsewhere, Canada's Andre de Grasse (20.09) stormed to a superb win in the men's 200m ahead of fellow countryman Aaron Brown.
World and European champion Malaika Mihambo won the women's long jump with 6.83m with Britain's Jazmin Sawyers (6.54m) and Abigail Irozuru (6.35m) in fourth and sixth.
Stewart McSweyn clocked 3:48.37 to set a new Australian record in the Svein Arne Hansen Dream Mile.