Duplantis beats sprinter and hurdler Warholm in 100m demonstration race

Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis (R) reacts as he beats Norwegian hurdler and sprinter Karsten Warholm in a head-to-head exhibition match in the 100-meter sprint on the sidelines of the IAAF Diamond League “Weltklasse” athletics meeting, at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, on September 4, 2024. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

Pole vaulter Armand Duplantis defeated 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm in a one-off exhibition match over 100m in Zurich on Wednesday.

Presented as “100 metres to decide everything, a battle of legends”, the Swede Duplantis used all his raw speed to make an incredible start that he never relinquished.

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The Norwegian Warholm, in lane six, one outside the Swede, never seemed to be able to catch his opponent. He won in 10.37 seconds.

READ: Duplantis to race hurdler Warholm in 100m sprint

10.37 seconds 💨🏃

Olympic pole vault champion Armand Duplantis defeated 400m hurdler Karsten Warholm in a 100m exhibition race!#BBCAthletics photo.twitter.com/HLGbJ1Tl6o

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) September 5, 2024

Duplantis, the newly crowned two-time Olympic champion who has broken the pole vault world record 10 times, even threw a cheeky spike to the right as he crossed the finish line.

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“I’m pretty excited,” Duplantis said. “I feel really, really good.”

Warholm clocked 10.47 seconds and, as the loser, will wear one of Duplantis’ Swedish tops in the Diamond League on Thursday.

“He had a great start, congratulations,” Warholm said of Duplantis.

The two running stars got off to a flying start at the Letzigrund Stadium to make up for an earlier brawl on the training field, which quickly turned into a sprint.

The organizers managed to cram some 2,500 fans into the main stand, with tickets costing a maximum of 100 Swiss francs (106 euros).

The rivalry arose after a joint training session between Warholm and Duplantis in the run-up to last year’s Monaco Diamond League competition.

“He said I looked fast and I thought, ‘Let’s race,’” Duplantis said.

Warholm accepted the challenge after Duplantis claimed he could win.

“With my ego and how highly I think of myself, I had to accept it,” explained the Norwegian, the reigning world record holder in the 400-meter hurdles, an Olympic gold and silver medalist and a three-time world champion.

READ: Duplantis breaks the world record for the third time this year

Clean scrap

In the evening, each athlete in the 50 meters was welcomed onto the track with a dazzling entrance worthy of a prize fighter.

Warholm came out in a red boxer’s jacket, with a hood over a cap. His coach Leif Olav Alnes followed, dressed in a tight blue and white jumpsuit with “Fat by choice” written on the back, and also wearing a Viking horn hat.

Duplantis wore a blue boxer’s jacket and was accompanied by a number of athletes, including American sprinter Fred Kerley, who helped him with his block training.

“No biting, no kicking, no pulling on vests,” said master of ceremonies Colin Jackson.

“Shake hands and enjoy a good fight,” said the former world record holder in the 110m hurdles.

There was only one winner of the ‘rest of the season’, as Duplantis shot out of the blocks like a rocket and never looked back.