Doom and gloom in world indoor 400m
Karsten Warholm’s gamble of coming into the World Indoor Championships with no indoor races under his belt this season backfired as he suffered a surprise 400m defeat at the hands of Alexander Doom of Belgium.
The unheralded 26-year-old has gone out in the semi-finals at his last three major championships, although he made the European indoor final last year but did not start.
In the AW preview to the championships we forecast Doom to finish fifth, but few people would have tipped him to win a medal, let alone win.
In Glasgow on Saturday, though, he followed Warholm through the first lap as the Norwegian passed 200m in 21.30 (Doom clocked 21.41) before pouncing in the final straight as Warholm tied up.
Doom himself was surprised, saying: “It's amazing. I never expected this because we didn't really have this in our sights. Usually I am just focused on the 4x400m. But I loved running individually.
“The heats and the semis went really well yesterday and to beat Karsten Warholm today is really amazing. He's an Olympic champion and has won almost everything there is. Not many people have beaten him.
“At the finish line I felt so, so, so gorgeous. Now the focus is back on the 4x400m and qualifying for the Olympics from the World Relays. And then it's the summer. The European Championships is a big goal for me.”
Warholm, of course, is more at home over 400m hurdles but nevertheless has won the last two European indoor 400m crowns and he is joint holder of the European indoor record of 45.05 with Thomas Schönlebe.
The 28-year-old was a surprise late entrant to the championships and said: “I didn't have time to do all the winter work I usually do so I was feeling it a bit with the rounds. All in all it's an acceptable time, so it's okay.
“It was a last-minute decision to come here. I get a little bit of feeling out of it and get to test the body. As long as I didn't get any injuries, it was all okay. Of course, I wish I had won today but it was so nice coming out here and performing in front of all that noise.”
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