It is a fantasy clash plucked from the pages of fan fiction: Who would win if you took two Norse gods of athletics, stuck them on a start line in Zurich and pitted them against one another in the purest of sporting contests?
Tonight, the athletics world will find out. Armand “Mondo” Duplantis and Karsten Warholm will take the blocks in Zurich for a clash of world-record holders with a difference in what may be the third-most anticipated 100m race of the year. The pair are deities in their respective domains but out of their comfort zone here. Duplantis has reached heights never achieved before as a pole vaulter and Warholm is a three-time world champion in the 400m hurdles. But each is untested at the elite level in athletics’ blue riband event.
A case can be made for either as a likely victor: the gnarly Warholm’s ability to survive in his usual discipline suggests he will have an edge in the final 50 metres, but Duplantis’s explosivity and acceleration are key elements of his paradigmshifting pole vault achievements. Both clocked similar times as teenage track polymaths – and both exude confidence.
Esta historia es de la edición September 04, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición September 04, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
What can stop Verstappen winning fifth straight title?
It is rare that we learn fresh pieces of detail about drivers on the Formula One grid.
Mo' money, mo' goals - why Salah is worth the gamble
As clear and emphatic as Mohamed Salah’s words on Sunday were, something was still left unsaid.
Guardiola: 'It will be a bad season by our standards'
But after five losses in a row, Man City's manager is defiant
West Ham hit Newcastle on counter to ease pressure
Tomas Soucek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka combined to burst Newcastle’s bubble as West Ham handed under-pressure boss Julen Lopetegui breathing space with a priceless Premier League away win.
Flood-proofing homes now will prevent future misery
One thing most people would agree on: Britain urgently needs new homes.
Chancellor has gone from cosying up to confrontation
Rachel Reeves urgently needs a new script – and some pizzazz.
CBI boss warns Budget will mean fewer jobs are created
Half of UK companies will cut jobs and two-thirds will recruit fewer staff, according to the boss of the UK's top business lobby group.
Man who drugged wife in mass rape case should serve 20 years, say prosecutors
French prosecutors have sought a 20-year prison term for Dominique Pelicot, accusing him of facilitating the mass rape of his wife Gisele Pelicot by dozens of men, drugging her unconscious, and sharing pictures and videos of her sexual assault.
Thousands arrested at Khan protests as Pakistan capital put under police lockdown
Pakistani authorities arrested more than 4,000 supporters of Imran Khan, including five parliamentarians, ahead of a rally demanding the release of the former prime minister from prison, where he has been held for over a year.
One dead after DHL cargo plane crashes in Lithuania
A DHL cargo plane has crashed into a house near the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, killing at least one of four people on board.
