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Former Norwegian decathlete wins breakthrough 400m hurdles world title

Norwegian Karsten Warholm aped "The Scream" by Edvard Munch when he realised he had won the men's 400m hurdles title at the world championships in London and his victory could prove as valuable to the sport as the painting is to the Norwegian tourism industry.

Athletics is desperately seeking new and quirky characters to fill the huge vacuum that will be left by the retirement of Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt.

Warholm, a former decathlete, fills several boxes being only 21 years old and showing an exciting style of running, leading from the gun to the tape and leaving one of the all-time greats in Kerron Clement trailing in his wake.

"I've worked so hard for this, but I don't know what I have done. I'm world champion, that's crazy," said Warholm, who donned a Viking hat on his lap of honour.

Meanwhile, Botswana's Isaac Makwala admitted on Wednesday to being heartbroken and fuelled by anger as he ran two rounds of the 200m - one on his own - to reach the final.

The 30-year-old had been given the go-ahead by the IAAF after missing Monday's heats and then the 400m final because the quarantine period for the highly contagious norovirus which he had been diagnosed with had expired.

"I wish the IAAF had given me the decision to run the 400m first," said Makwala. "I was ready to run. I don't know who made the decision. I'm running with anger." - AFP

athletics