It all began in 2023, when a social media post emerged, in which Mondo challenged Karsten to a 100m race. Norway’s Karsten Warholm is the current 400m h world record holder, an Olympic champion, and a three-time world champion. His Swedish opponent Mondo Duplantis has arrived in Zurich as a new two-time Olympic champion and with a tenth world record in the pole vault in his pocket.
Now, after all major events of the season, including the Olympic Games in Paris and the European championships in Rome, are completed, the two athletics superstars, together with promoters PUMA, Red Bull, and Weltklasse Zürich, thought it was time to put the plan into action. The extraordinary duel will happen on Wednesday night. The two Scandinavians explained, jovially and cheerfully as usual, that they had done all they could as far as last-minute preparations were concerned.
Experienced out of the blocks vs. compelling maximum speed
Mondo assured members of the media that he was ready. «I have only ever touched poles during pole vault competitions ever since the Olympic Games,» he said. This means that he started focusing on sprint training after Paris, a task that could not have been difficult for him. He underlined that he loved the sprints. Mondo hoped that he might be able to use his explosive speed on the first 50 to 60m to defeat the 400m h record holder, who will be fast out of the blocks and strong with respect to endurance.
“I would not have agreed to run against him, had I not been convinced that I could beat him,” Warholm clarified. He explained that he would give it his all to win the race. And added, grinning, that he got annoyed with anyone who did not consider him the favourite in this race.
As a matter of fact, the athletics community is divided when it comes to predicting the outcome of the showdown. Both the Norwegian hurdler and the Swedish pole vaulter have their supporters. Warholm thought it was wonderful that there was actually a debate and that people were discussing athletics because of the race. So, he welcomed every opinion that was expressed.
The 100m race of the two superstars is the highlight of a 90-minute show that features sports and lifestyle elements and that will get underway at Letzigrund Stadium on Wednesday night at 8.30pm.
