Warholm's worrying trend: "Of course, it shakes him a little"

Norwegian hurdler Karsten Warholm has unveiled a new, closely shaven hairstyle, a move that has sparked both jest and serious discussion ahead of his upcoming 400-meter hurdles duel against Alison dos Santos at the Bislett Games. Bislett Games director Steinar Hoen lightheartedly commented on the change, while dos Santos playfully suggested that "anger makes him crazy."

“

Anger makes him crazy.

Warholm himself stated the haircut is intended to improve aerodynamics. However, the change also comes as he has been overshadowed in recent major competitions by rivals Rai Benjamin and dos Santos. Warholm, a former undisputed king of the hurdles with multiple world and Olympic titles, has lost to Benjamin five consecutive times in the 400m hurdles, and to dos Santos, the 2022 World Champion, three times consecutively.

“

Of course, losing a few head-to-head duels shakes him a little, but it won't derail him from his path. I know he has his head in the right place and will run fast here.

Dos Santos expressed confidence, noting that Warholm is a self-assured athlete who doesn't need external validation. "Of course, losing a few head-to-head duels shakes him a little, but it won't derail him from his path," dos Santos told VG. "I know he has his head in the right place and will run fast here." He added that while he doesn't believe in a significant mental advantage, the competition will demand top performance from both athletes.

“

I think I handle it pretty well in the sense that it doesn't break my confidence or my belief when I don't win. I get annoyed, of course, because I want to win, but at the same time, it increases my motivation.

Warholm acknowledged the pressure, stating, "I think I handle it pretty well in the sense that it doesn't break my confidence or my belief when I don't win. Of course, I get annoyed because I want to win, but at the same time, it increases my motivation." He described himself as the "scalp everyone is after" and recognized that at this elite level, avoiding occasional setbacks is impossible. "But I feel it, I have to try to change it," Warholm said, hinting at his determination to regain his dominant form.

“

I have become the scalp everyone is after. And when the level is so high that every time you start, it's top level or nothing, it's like that in sports that you will never be able to avoid a bit of bad luck.