Norwegian athletics star Karsten Warholm delivered another commanding performance at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, winning the men’s 400 metres hurdles in a new championship record.
Warholm crossed the line at Alexander Stadium in 46.63 seconds, successfully defending his continental crown and becoming the first man to win four consecutive European titles in the event. Germany’s Emil Agyekum secured silver in 47.87, while Türkiye’s İsmail Nezir completed the podium with a time of 48.26.
Warholm in a class of his own
From the opening metres, Warholm attacked the race with the aggressive approach that has become his trademark. He quickly established a clear advantage and entered the home straight well ahead of the rest of the field. With the gold medal already appearing secure, attention turned to the clock. Warholm maintained his rhythm over the final barriers and powered through the line in 46.63, improving the European Championships record of 46.98 that he had set in Rome two years earlier. It was the seventh-fastest performance of his career and another reminder of the remarkable standards he has established in the 400m hurdles. Agyekum produced an impressive run to finish second, but the German was still 1.24 seconds behind the Norwegian. Nezir resisted the challenge from the remaining finalists to claim bronze.
Four European titles in succession
Warholm’s victory extended an extraordinary period of European dominance that began in Berlin in 2018. He subsequently defended his title in Munich in 2022 and Rome in 2024 before completing a fourth consecutive triumph in Birmingham. No other man has won four straight European titles in the 400m hurdles. The achievement adds another chapter to a career that already includes Olympic gold, three world titles and the world record of 45.94 seconds, established during his unforgettable victory at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Warholm’s championship record in Birmingham was still some distance from that historic performance, but it demonstrated that the Norwegian remains capable of producing exceptional times on the sport’s biggest stages.
A second Birmingham gold for Warholm
The 400m hurdles title was Warholm’s second gold medal of the championships. On the opening day in Birmingham, he helped Norway win the mixed 4x400m relay in a championship-record time of 3:09.62. Warholm ran the opening leg as the Norwegian quartet claimed a memorable victory ahead of Great Britain and the Netherlands. His contribution to the relay underlined both his versatility and his importance to a Norwegian team enjoying an outstanding European Championships. Having already celebrated the relay success, Warholm returned to his specialist event as the overwhelming favourite. He won his semi-final in 48.01 before raising his performance to another level when the title was at stake.
Norway’s golden generation continues
Warholm’s victory added to an exceptional championship for Norwegian athletics. The country’s success in Birmingham has also included major triumphs from Jakob Ingebrigtsen and the mixed relay team, reinforcing Norway’s status as one of the leading forces in European track and field. Yet even within this golden generation, Warholm occupies a special place. His combination of speed, technical precision and relentless competitive intensity has transformed expectations in the 400m hurdles. In Birmingham, he did more than successfully defend another title. By winning a fourth successive European crown and breaking his own championship record, Karsten Warholm strengthened his position as the greatest European athlete in the history of the event.
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