Warholm has noticed the “man killer” effect: – It’s crazy

– It’s crazy. It’s an injury that usually takes time, says Karsten Warholm about the news surrounding the rival. Reigning world champion in the 400 meter hurdles Alison dos Santos recently tore her meniscus in training. A short time ago he went under the knife. – I keep my focus, nothing has changed. I have goals this year and next year. We will get through this together, says dos Santos, according to Globo. The rehabilitation and training are predicted to take 8-12 weeks, but some Brazilian media have speculated about the entire season being canceled. In that case, dos Santos will also lose the chance to defend the WC gold in Budapest at the end of August. WORLD CHAMPION: Alison dos Santos. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP The injury to the breaststroke joins the series of real casualties in the 400 meter hurdles in recent years, where all the biggest stars have suffered serious injuries: Rai Benjamin: Struggled with tendinitis last season, but ran the WC . Had surgery for the injury after the season. Abderrahman Samba: Had hamstring surgery in 2022. Missed the WC. Karsten Warholm: Injured his hamstring in the season opener last year. Reached the WC with a cry of distress. Alison dos Santos: Run for WC gold. This month it was reported that the Brazilian must have surgery on the meniscus. – They have called the 400 meter hurdles a “man killer”, and I have always associated it with the fact that jumping is a difficult exercise. There have been a lot of injuries in our practice lately, while the level is ultra high. This suggests that there is a cost to stretching the boundaries, for everyone, believes Warholm. WILD RACE: Rai Benjamin was closest to Warholm during the legendary race during the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB news broadcasts the European Athletics Championships indoors on 2-5 March with among others Warholm and Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Pressing each other closely Benjamin, Samba, dos Santos and Warholm are four of the five fastest athletes of all time in the 400 meter hurdles. They have pushed the times down, but there are many indications that the extremely tough competition also places an enormous burden on the athletes. – It is a demanding exercise. It’s eight times your body weight every time you land after a hurdle. It is not a big surprise that there are injuries from it over time, says Warholm’s trainer, Leif Olav Alnes. He says he agrees with the student; The long hedge is a real “man killer”. – The original expression comes from the fact that the exercise is demanding, but it has been actualized in recent years through many injuries. I guess the reason for that is that the level is pressure. When you pull on a string, he pulls at one point or another, says Alnes. news’s ​​athletics expert, Vebjørn Rodal, says that he is unsure whether the exercise has a higher risk of injury than other athletics exercises. Asked if the many injuries to the top runners could have come about because the best pushed their limits in training, he replies: – It doesn’t sound improbable. In addition, it is an exercise with a somewhat higher risk than jumping flat, although I do not have the impression that most injuries come in connection with hurdle passes. – Skipped the list National team physician Ove Talsnes praises the work Warholm and coach Alnes have put in over the past few years and believes Warholm has been the driving force behind the promise the 400 meter hurdles has received. – I don’t think there is any doubt that the training that Karsten carries out and that they (Warholm and Alnes) have constructed together is on a completely different level than what any other 400 meter hurdler has ever done. And I think it will be a very long time until someone comes to do something similar, both in terms of training volume and the experimental part, he says. The doctor says the Norwegian duo has pushed the physiological limits beyond what one is used to and that is an unknown reason for those involved in sports medicine and injury prevention. – You have a package there that is quite extreme. They list a place where he has not had a doctor before. They have jumped over that list and also put it higher. It is clear that it is not easy to be Rai Benjamin then, says Talsnes. NATIONAL TEAM DOCTOR: Ove Talsnes. Photo: Lise Åserud Until the hamstring injury last year, Warholm has largely escaped with any minor ailments through several years of adventurous success. For dos Santos, the first big hit came after a couple of years at the top level. – I think our injury history has been better than most. We had four or five years without anything that actually put a stop to our achievements. With the injury last year, we were lucky that it was an easy injury to fix. It took a few weeks, then we were done with it, says Warholm. – There are no guarantees in sport, that’s what’s so bad about him too, he elaborates on the injuries that affect himself and his competitors. Reassures Warholm Both Warholm and Alnes are crossing their fingers that dos Santos will be back quickly. It’s more fun to win when all the best start, they think. According to the major Brazilian newspaper Globo, dos Santos had two choices when it came to fixing the injury: Operate the meniscus back to its original position. Then the rehabilitation would take six months. Remove a small part that prevents the knee from moving normally. Then the rehabilitation is calculated at 8–12 weeks. – There is not that much that needs to be healed. He must wait until the swelling in the knee disappears and then start strength training, says dos Santos’ surgeon, Caio D’Elia, to Globo. It is currently uncertain whether dos Santos will make it to the WC. Warholm holds the world record for the distance with 45.94, but the Brazilian is ready to beat him. – I want to do much better than that, and not stagnate at 45.90 one way or another. I want to get past it, and know that I can develop myself to reach that result. That is what I am working towards, he said before the operation.



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