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Karsten Warholm breaks oldest world record in men's track weeks before Olympics

Norway's Karsten Warholm reacts after winning and breaking the world record during the 400m hurdles men final at the Diamond League track and field meeting in Oslo on July 1, 2021. - Norway's Karsten Warholm fired out a shot at potential Tokyo Olympic rivals when he shattered the long-standing 400m hurdles world record at Diamond League meet in Oslo and warned he had
Karsten Warholm made history on Thursday. (Photo by ANNIKA BYRDE/NTB/AFP via Getty Images) (ANNIKA BYRDE via Getty Images)

The men's 400-meter hurdles officially has an Olympic favorite. And a new world record-holder.

Karsten Warholm, a 25-year-old Norwegian hurdler, clocked a 46.70-second time in the 400m hurdles at a Diamond League meet in Oslo on Thursday to break a 29-year-world record, according to NBC Sports. The record was previously held by American Kevin Young, who ran a 46.78 at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

The record was reportedly the oldest mark standing in all of men's track.

Here's how Warholm did it:

As a two-time world champion in the event, Warholm hardly needed the record to establish himself as Olympic favorite, though he'll still have competition.

Per NBC Sports, American Raj Benjamin recorded what was then the second-fastest time in history in the event with a 46.83-second mark at the Olympic trials. The pair of Warholm and Benjamin reportedly combine to hold 10 of the 15 fastest times in the history of the event.

Women's 400m mark was broken last week

Warholm's record 400m run comes just a few days after American Sydney McLaughlin broke the women's world record in the same event.

The 21-year-old McLaughlin posted a time of 51.90 seconds early Monday morning to break the record of her rival Dalilah Muhammad, the reigning Olympic champion.

Clearly, both events will be worth keeping an eye on in Tokyo.

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