Norwegian athlete Karsten Warholm in mourning after death of close aide Atle McAdam

Norwegian track star Karsten Warholm is grappling with the sudden death of Atle McAdam, a man he described as "unique" in his loyalty and an "irreplaceable" part of his athletic support system. McAdam, 49, died in a cycling accident on Friday, leaving Warholm and his teammates in shock just hours before they were set to compete in the 4x400 meter relay at the European Athletics Championships.

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Atle was unique. He was completely unique in his loyalty. He was such a steady and tough guy that I really liked being around. He was very good to have in an athletic group and completely irreplaceable for us.

McAdam, who was a former national record holder in the 400m hurdles – the event in which Warholm now holds the world record – had become a close friend and a vital assistant to Warholm in recent years. He helped with training sessions, filmed and analyzed workouts, and provided physical support, particularly during Warholm's rehabilitation from a hamstring injury in 2024. "No task was too small or too big for McAdam," Warholm told VG, highlighting his versatile contributions.

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It's the kind of message that doesn't quite land. It's a shock. Atle has become a very good friend in recent years.

The news deeply affected Warholm and his teammates, including Amalie Iuel, Andreas Kulseng, and Henriette Jæger, who are competing for medals in the relay. Warholm admitted that the joy of competing has been dampened, acknowledging that "life is bigger than sports." However, he believes McAdam would want them to compete with full effort. "I am convinced that Atle and his family think it is appropriate that we run as fast as we can for him tonight," Warholm stated.

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There are many different things he contributed to. While Leif has gotten a bit older with some sore knees and so on, Adam was a strong guy who could lift heavy and move things. He helped me a lot with strength training in 2024 when I was rehabbing after my hamstring injury. He also ran the 400m hurdles and had knowledge about it. I really appreciated having him around me. No task was too small or too big for McAdam.

A request by the Norwegian team to wear black armbands to honor McAdam was denied by the European Athletics Association. Despite this, the team intends to honor his memory through their performance on the track. Warholm is also scheduled to compete in the 400m hurdles semifinals on Wednesday, with the final on Friday, but his focus is now shared between his athletic goals and honoring his late friend.

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Leif and Atle have known each other for so long, so they were a bit like two peas in a pod. Atle fit in as a very nice piece in our group.