by Karsten Warholm (28) holds the world record for the 400-meter hurdles—and he believes he might have set an unofficial record for recuperating from hamstring tendinosis.
“I’m a good month ahead of the ‘best-case scenario.’ The plan was to start sprinting again in January, but I’ve been doing it for two weeks already,” Warholm shares.
In a 40-minute interview with VG just days before Christmas, Warholm and his coach, Leif Olav Alnes, discuss:
- How his hamstring injury healed “in record time.”
- The alternative training methods aimed at improving his performance.
- The moments of despair in a jacuzzi after perhaps his best warm-up.
- The Olympic mistake he thought he was too experienced to make.
- The lesson about how fragile elite sports can be—and the one thing he refuses to learn from his injury.
A Challenging Season
Last summer, Warholm claimed European Championship gold and Olympic silver in the 400-meter hurdles—a season he considered below his usual standards. In September, he revealed to VG that he had been dealing with a hamstring injury for most of the year.
An MRI scan later showed tendinosis in the hamstring attachment on his right thigh. Today, that issue is 100% healed.
“I didn’t expect to be ahead by a whole month. It’s an incredible bonus. The physiotherapists at Olympiatoppen believe we’ve set a world record in tendon rehab. We’ll take it!”
Warholm estimates it took just 7–8 weeks to fully recover—well ahead of the typical 12-week timeline.
A Smart Recovery Plan
“We found a highly effective solution,” Warholm explains. “We stopped all activities that caused pain and leaned on the foundation we’d already built. We gave my body a chance to recover after nearly a decade of constant strain.”
He and Alnes sought advice from Olympiatoppen and other experts on how to treat such an injury, leading to a trip to Qatar. Accompanied by physiotherapists from Olympiatoppen, they attended an internationally renowned medical conference—where this year’s theme, fittingly, was hamstrings.
What began as a “rehab camp” in Qatar turned into a full-fledged training camp.
Lessons from the Injury
“Any persistent pain is a huge barrier to improving,” Warholm says. “I can’t achieve my goals while dealing with that kind of pain. Injuries are opportunities to learn, and I’ve learned it’s not dangerous to take two months for alternative training.”
Despite his recovery, Warholm remains acutely aware of the fine line between success and setback in elite sports. “Top-level competition is both brutal and fragile,” he concludes.
Warholm Eyes a Strong Finish: Reflecting on Challenges and Lessons Learned
Karsten Warholm is optimistic that the alternative training he’s undertaken—and plans to integrate into his regular regimen—will improve his performance in the home stretch of his races. In 2024, Warholm struggled to maintain his edge in the closing phases, often losing to non-European competitors like Rai Benjamin and Alison dos Santos even as Warholm defended his European Championship gold.
“The last hundred meters have been tough for me. You see it—my head tilts back, my posture falters, and I stiffen up. We don’t know exactly why it happens, but we’ve identified the issue pretty clearly,” Warholm explains.
To address this, he has strengthened his hip muscles to maintain optimal form throughout the race. “The last hundred meters are crucial. We’ve used this time to work on what we see as general weaknesses in my performance,” he adds.
Learning from Others
Warholm credits much of his progress to his coach, Leif Olav Alnes, who remains open to learning from external sources.
“Leif isn’t so proud that he won’t ‘shop’ for knowledge from others. We’ve always used Olympiatoppen as a base but have welcomed input from other experts. With Leif’s experience, we’ve been able to combine insights into something highly effective,” Warholm says.
Alnes highlights the importance of collaboration. “Prestige and pride ruin so many processes. Every day, you have a choice to elevate or diminish the people around you. True teamwork happens when you bring out the best in others. Ego often blocks that,” he notes.
Reflecting on 2024 and Setting Goals for 2025
When asked about his 2024 season, Warholm admits it was a frustrating year.
“Looking at May 2024, I was in phenomenal shape, but I couldn’t deliver when it mattered. It’s still depressing to think about. Sometimes, during our Sunday jacuzzi sessions, we revisit it—but we quickly change the topic,” he shares.
Despite the setbacks, he is confident about returning to top form. “I believe we can quickly reach the same level as May 2024. The goal for 2025 is clear: World Championship gold.”
Alnes adds, “We pushed his performance level higher, but we didn’t get the chance to showcase it during the season.”
Battling Injuries
Warholm’s career has been punctuated by injuries, including a hamstring strain in 2022 and another injury in 2024.
“Injuries often happen when you’re pushing your body to its limit. I won’t compare myself too much to a Formula 1 car, but you’re most vulnerable when the engine is running at full throttle,” Warholm reflects.
He remains optimistic about his resilience. “The key is whether you carry injuries forward or recover fully. My legs are in great shape now—better than most sprinters after ten years of racing. We’ve also pushed boundaries, going from a 48.30 in 2017 to a 45.94 in 2021. That kind of progress exposes your body to new forces, but so far, I’ve held up.”
Olympic Lessons
Reflecting on his Olympic performance, Warholm admits he made tactical errors, particularly in the heats and semi-finals against French runner Clement Ducos, where he pushed too hard.
“It was stupid—I’m too experienced to make that kind of mistake. But heat running is a strange beast. With normal preparation, I could have handled it. Given my injury, I shouldn’t have pushed so hard,” he concedes.
Warholm acknowledges the difficulty of maintaining a facade of normalcy during a tough season. “It’s terrible to pretend everything is fine. But we stuck to our plan because it was about being as prepared as possible. It wasn’t about deceiving anyone,” he explains.
Despite the challenges, both Warholm and Alnes remain focused on the future. “I still believed he could pull it off,” Alnes says. “Without the injury, I’m certain he would have.”
Warholm on Top Sport: “It’s Brutal and Fragile”
Karsten Warholm remains steadfast in his philosophy about the demands of elite athletics, emphasizing the fine balance between pushing limits and managing risks.
“It’s so brutal and fragile,” Warholm says. “But the lesson isn’t to hold back. You can’t play it safe and expect to win gold. Injuries are part of the game—especially at the highest level. The better you are, the more injuries become a factor. That said, I think we’re pretty good at doing everything possible to avoid them.”
Coach Leif Olav Alnes echoes this sentiment, citing a key piece of wisdom from Warholm: “When things have gone wrong because we’ve been bold, you must remember that it’s the same boldness that’s given us our successes.”
Warholm agrees: “Passivity has no place in top sport. If you’re passive, you’re out.”
The Challenges of Sustained Success
Alnes highlights the challenge of staying focused after achieving success. “Most people win once, but success brings distractions in every form. If you lose focus, it’s over—especially in events with as high a level as the 400-meter hurdles.”
For Warholm, staying at the top requires constantly managing setbacks. “You have to ensure problems don’t stop you from doing what’s necessary. That’s the danger—too many injuries, and your level drops fast.”
The Challenges of Sustained Success
Alnes highlights the challenge of staying focused after achieving success. “Most people win once, but success brings distractions in every form. If you lose focus, it’s over—especially in events with as high a level as the 400-meter hurdles.”
For Warholm, staying at the top requires constantly managing setbacks. “You have to ensure problems don’t stop you from doing what’s necessary. That’s the danger—too many injuries, and your level drops fast.”
Eyes on the Prize
When asked if his record-breaking rehab recovery sets the stage for breaking his own 400-meter hurdles world record, Warholm is clear about his priorities.
“That’s the hope. But I’d much rather set a world record in Tokyo than in rehab. Winning on the biggest stage is all that matters.”
Warholm has already indicated to NRK that he will sit out the 2025 indoor season. Even so there is a packed year ahead, with the highlight being the World Championships in Tokyo in mid-September.Considering the current level of competition in the 400 hurdles, it will take a lot for Warholm to defend his World Champion golds from London 2017, Doha 2019 and Budapest 2023. Pushing Rai Benjamin, the Olympic Gold Medalist from the 2024 Games, down from the top of the podium is a truly daunting task. The same could be said regarding Allison dos Santos, the World Champions from Eugene 2023.
Warholm is not the only one of these athletes who has been battling with injuries. Various injuries for several years prevented Benjamin from being at his very best, even as he has been able to steadily pick up global medals and dos Santos has made a good comeback after a knee operation in February 2023.
We are looking ahead with great interest to the 2025 season in the 400 hurdles, both the men’s and women’s events.
