He already rewrote the record books. He has already redefined what is humanly possible over 400 metres of hurdles. And yet, when Karsten Warholm arrives in Keqiao on May 16, he will not be coming to celebrate the past. He will be coming to prove that the present is just as brilliant.
The Man Who Broke the Impossible
There are performances in athletics that don’t just win races. They shift the entire boundaries of a sport. Karsten Warholm has delivered one of those. At the Tokyo Olympics, he crossed the line in 45.94 seconds, the first sub-46 time in 400m hurdles history, obliterating his own world record by over three-quarters of a second. It was not just a gold medal. It was a moment that rewrote what we believed the human body could do.
As a teenager, Warholm had been an all-round athlete, winning octathlon gold at the U18 World Athletics Championships before choosing to focus on the 400m hurdles. That decision has shaped one of the greatest careers in the history of track and field.
A Season That Reminded Everyone
After the heartbreak of Paris, where Rai Benjamin dethroned him to win Olympic gold in 2024 , many wondered what chapter would come next for Warholm. The answer arrived loud and clear in 2025.
Warholm dominated his discipline, claiming world bests in the 300m hurdles in Xiamen and Oslo, as well as a Diamond League record in the 400m hurdles in Silesia. At the Diamond League Final in Zurich, he set a new meeting record of 46.70 to claim the Diamond Trophy for the third time in his career.
His 46.28 run in Silesia ranked third on the all-time 400m hurdles list. Pretty remarkable considering he already holds the top spot with his world record. Warholm wasn’t just competing. He was reminding the world that the king is still very much on the throne.
Shanghai and the love for the Chinese fans
A year ago, Warholm raced to 47.28 in the 400m hurdles in Keqiao, winning the Shanghai Diamond League for the first time in his career. And he hasn’t forgotten how that felt.
“I am so excited to return to Keqiao again this year!” said Warholm. “Winning the Shanghai Diamond League for the first time in my career last year was such a great feeling in front of the Chinese fans. I look forward to a great battle!”
This time, he returns for the 300m hurdles. A discipline in which he has been setting world bests with almost casual authority. Earlier in 2025, he opened his season in Xiamen by breaking his own world best, covering the distance in 33.05, an improvement of 0.21 seconds on the world best he had set in Oslo four years prior. It was a statement that his hunger has not dimmed one bit.
The Rivalry That Defines an Era
Part of what makes Warholm so compelling to watch is the era he has helped create. He, Rai Benjamin, and Alison dos Santos have built a rivalry that has taken their event into a new era. Three athletes who have collectively pushed each other to performances once thought impossible. When these men race, world records are never far from the conversation.
Warholm is the only person ever to go under 46 seconds in the 400m hurdles. As well as his three world titles, three European titles and three Diamond League titles, he also won Olympic gold in Tokyo.
That is a legacy most athletes spend a lifetime trying to build. Warholm has built it and he is still only 30 years old.
What Comes Next
Warholm is chasing a fourth Diamond League title in 2026, and the Shanghai Diamond League is the launchpad. As all eyes will be on the opening leg of the 2026 Diamond League season. Every stride here will set the tone for a season where the Norwegian superstar has unfinished business.
In an event defined by explosive power, technical precision and sheer competitive will, Karsten Warholm has no equal. So when he steps to the line on May 16, we are all witness of the start of an exciting season to come.
We for one will pay close attention for the season ahead.