The great pole vaulter clocked 10.37s to beat the 400m hurdles world record holder in Zurich
The race, over a year in the making, was won by Duplantis in 10.37seconds, by a tenth of a second over Warholm. Duplantis reacted first out the blocks and hit his top speed faster, holding his form better and staring Warholm down on the line.
The pair, both current world champions and world record holders in their disciplines, have a combined four Olympic medals (three gold, one silver) and 11 world records (nine for Duplantis, two for Warholm).
Neither had ran 100m competitively for over six years; Warholm early in his professional career and Duplantis during his high-school days.
“I’ve got to give it to Mondo, he was out the blocks fast. He beat me fair and square,” said Warholm, with the pair embracing at the line, then sharing a moment to look up at fireworks from the stadium afterwards.
Duplantis led the entire race. He was quicker to react, more aggressive and powerful in his first three strides, into and through his acceleration phase faster and in control once he had a lead. He even had time to turn his head at the finish and stare Warholm down.
Warholm will race tomorrow in the men’s 400m hurdles, a Diamond League event, and do so in a Swedish vest after losing the race to Duplantis, who will compete in the pole vault.
When the starting gun fired after all of the pre-race theatrics in front of the packed Letzigrund Stadion grandstand, there was only ever going to be one winner of the showpiece 100m head-to-head on the eve of the main Weltklasse Wanda Diamond League meeting in Zurich on Wednesday night (4).
“I’m not saying I’m going to kick your ass but I’ll give you a run for your money,” Mondo Duplantis had ventured when he laid down the challenge to Karsten Warholm during a training session ahead of the Monaco Diamond League last year.
The young Swede who has revised the pole vault world record 10 times now did more than give the fastest 400m hurdler of all time a good run after the pair discarded the boxing-style dressing gowns in which they entered the arena.
Duplantis proceeded to administer something of a backside-kicking to his Norwegian friend, flying out of his blocks and leading from gun to tape and crossing the line a decisive winner in 10.37 (0.1m/s) – yet another record, this time of the personal variety, 0.2 quicker than the personal best he recorded in high school in 2018.
Warholm clocked 10.47, 0.02 inside his six-year-old lifetime best.
“I’ve got to give it to Mondo – he beat me fair and square,” the three-time world 400m hurdles champion said. “He got out of the blocks really fast. It was a great race.”
The crowd packing the grandstand were greatly entertained. Among them was Fred Kerley, the 2022 world 100m champion from the US, who practised starts with Duplantis in preparation for the big Zurich showdown.
“I’m pretty fired up,” a jubilant Duplantis said. “Since the Olympics, I haven’t touched a pole in training, only blocks.
“I love to sprint. I think it’s the greatest thing ever. There’s no better feeling at all that compares to that split second before the gun goes off and you’re just there waiting for it. Everything just kind of releases when it happens. It’s like the biggest bundle of energy you could ever have.”
Warholm also had some expert help.
“I actually sent my block starts videos to Usain Bolt,” he revealed. “He said, ‘You shouldn’t walk out the blocks. You should push’.”
Having not pushed too swiftly on his way down the home straight on Wednesday, Warholm will have to wear a Sweden uniform in the 400m hurdles on the Zurich track on Thursday, a forfeit presented by Duplantis in the aftermath of his victory.
The pair agreed to the bizarre exhibition race that took place in Zurich, Switzerland on Wednesday evening in front of a crowd that was eager to see the two sports stars go head-to-head in a one-of-a-kind race.
Duplantis and Warholm are friends away from the track, but pitted their skills against one another in a ace that explored who was the fastest in a 100m sprint format.
There was an expectation that Warholm's sprinting experience would make him better-suited to the format, but a blistering performance by Duplantis stunned viewers watching online and in attendance.
Pole vault star Duplantis successfully defended his Olympic title in Paris just a few weeks ago, but has demonstrated that he may be in with another chance of a medal in the men's most popular sprint format.
A blistering start out the blocks saw him take an early lead that Warholm was never able to claw back despite both clocking in finish times under 11 seconds.
The Swedish pole vault champion finished strong to record a time of 10.37, with his Norwegian counterpart was close behind with a 10.47 finish.
Both times would have been enough for each to qualify for the preliminary round of the men's 100m at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
'I'm pretty fired up. How could I not be? I mean, come on, stop playing with me,' said a beaming Duplantis after his crossover victory.
Meanwhile, Warholm was humble in defeat, stating: 'I got to give it to Mondo, he beat me, fair and square, so it was a great race,' said Warholm, 28.
'He was out the blocks fast. He was out really sharp.'
The occasion featured a comic walkout from both competitiors as they emerged onto the track at the Letzigrund Stadium wearing red and blue robes that are more commonly seen in boxing.
However, there brief sprinting spell is short-lived as both now turn their attention to competing in their usual formats in the Diamond League on Thursday.
