Fierce competition in store in the 400m hurdles and 800m in Monaco

The three fastest 400m hurdlers in history will cross paths for the first time this season at the Monaco Diamond League on Friday (12) evening at the Louis II Stadium, the scene of seven world record performances over the years.

And while Karsten Warholm, Rai Benjamin and Alison dos Santos - who own the 15 fastest times in history as a collective - were reluctant to talk specifically about where the clock will stop at the pre-event press conference on Thursday (11), the three protagonists promised another exciting and high-octane instalment of a brilliant three-way rivalry in the 400m hurdles.

“We’ve raced each other a lot of times, I think we have brought it to a new level. It’s been a crazy journey but having people who keep you on your toes is a blessing in disguise.

Maybe I’m a bit biased but we have brought the event to the highest level of any event in track and field. When we look back on this era, I think we are going to be grateful we had this level of competition,

“Now we are all here, ready to race in Monaco. I think we all feel confident, otherwise we wouldn’t be here. Speaking of times is never a good idea. The thrill of the race is going to be good no matter what but the three of us tend to run quite fast. It’s going to be a race, I guarantee,” said Warholm, who won last year in a meeting record of 46.51, the sixth fastest time in history.

Already a three-time winner in Monaco, Warholm will be looking to return to winning ways in the Diamond League after a stinging defeat on home soil to dos Santos in Oslo on 30 May when the Brazilian ran down the world record-holder who uncharacteristically faltered in the home straight for victory in 46.63 to Warholm’s 46.70.

“It’s going to be really exciting to be part of the event - what we are doing is not normal. We don’t know when we will see this happen again [three athletes running under 47 seconds] and it’s more than just the three of us. I guess tomorrow is going to be a day to enjoy,” said the ebullient dos Santos who believes he is in the best shape of his career so far with the Olympic Games only three weeks away.

“I feel like I’m way better than I was in 2021,” said dos Santos when casting his mind back to the Olympic Games final where the Brazilian won bronze behind Warholm and Benjamin. “I ran faster in 2022 but I’m feeling better than in 2022 already.”

But the mantle of world leader this year belongs to Benjamin who won the US Olympic Trials last month in 46.46, the fifth fastest time in history, and will be racing in Monaco as a springboard to the Paris Olympic Games and the prospect of winning an elusive global 400m hurdles title.

“It feels like it was yesterday but it was so long ago,” said Benjamin when reflecting on the Tokyo Olympic Games where he finished second to Warholm but broke the previous world record in the process of 46.17 which remains the second fastest time in history.

“I feel as though I’m in better shape now,” Benjamin added ominously.

Can Arop join the sub-1:42 party in the 800m

By contrast, fast times were a hot topic of conversation between world 800m champion Marco Arop and the recently crowned European champion Gabriel Tual who became the fifth fastest performer in history in Paris on Sunday with a French record of 1:41.61, representing a lifetime best by more than two seconds.

Articulating this sudden improvement, Tual said: “I was just running at my pace without ever being disturbed. I was running to win the race; I was pushing and I wasn’t thinking about my legs. I was just wanting to win the race and I think it helped me to run that 1:41.

“I didn’t think I could run that fast and going into the top five of all-time is completely crazy. I’m here to run 1:41 again and to prove to myself I can run that fast again.”

By contrast, Arop was a mere spectator for that race in Paris but the Canadian is hoping to join the exclusive sub-1:42 party very soon.

“I’m hoping I can break 1:42 at some point. Based on my training, I’m definitely in shape to run that,” said Arop, who believes the current generation is capable of targeting David Rudisha’s long-standing world record of 1:40.91 from the London 2012 Olympic Games.

“Seeing that race [in Paris], it goes to show when you put your mind to it, you don’t really know what you’re capable of and that world record is definitely on the horizon now. I don’t know who’s going to break it but there are plenty of guys who are in range and that’s very exciting to me.”