What started as a bit of friendly rivalry has turned into a must-watch event for fans worldwide. On September 4 in Zurich, we’ll see Swedish pole vault superstar Armand Duplantis and Norwegian 400m hurdles champ Karsten Warholm go head-to-head in a 100-meter sprint. This showdown comes after more than a year of back-and-forth banter about who’s the fastest. The race was announced last year following their playful exchanges, and now, just before the big event, Warholm’s coach has revealed some concerns that have been keeping him up at night.

Recent reports reveal that Leif Olav Alnes, the acclaimed coach of Karsten Warholm and a three-time Coach of the Year at the Norwegian Sports Gala, is excited about the upcoming 100-meter clash between Karsten Warholm (28) and Armand Duplantis (24). However, he also has his concerns. Alnes admits that while the race promises to be thrilling, he’s worried about the risk of injury, given the unusual nature of the competition for both athletes.

“Wow. I almost don’t want to answer that. I think the risk of injury is very small, but it’s still lingering in the back of my mind,” Alnes tells VG, highlighting his apprehension about the potential for muscle strains that come with intense sprinting. Despite seeking advice from Usain Bolt, Alnes remains cautious and isn’t fully reassured.

After some deliberation, he feels that now is the perfect time for this race, coming right after the Olympics and at a top-tier event. Although he clocked 46.70 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles this season, he’s taken this race seriously enough to seek guidance from one of the greatest sprinters of all time, Usain Bolt.

Usain Bolt’s guidance meets Duplantis’s swagger in the upcoming showdown with Karsten Warholm

On September 3, Warholm revealed that he had sent videos of his starts from the blocks to the eight-time Olympic champion. Bolt responded with a key piece of advice: “You should not walk out of the blocks, you should push,” Warholm said he has since then been training on his block starts. 

“I’m actually 100 percent confident I could win,” he said. Although, Duplantis is also not as confident about the race against Warholm but Sweden stated that he is as ready as he can be.  “I feel good and am definitely on the level to compete with him, so I’m not worried about that.” After the 100 meters, the two will go back to their regular program, but what the winner must forfeit and the loser must pay for that is yet to be decided for the night.

This season, Warholm ran the 400-meter hurdles in 46.70 seconds, which translates to a 100-meter split of 11.67 seconds. Considering he covers an additional 300 meters and hurdles, his actual 100-meter time would likely be faster. In fact, his last 100-meter race in 2017 saw him clock a swift 10.49 seconds. On the flip side, Duplantis has reached speeds of 10.3 m/s on his 40-meter pole vault runway this season. If he maintains that pace for an additional 60 meters, his time would be quite close to Warholm’s. His most recent 100-meter time was 10.57 seconds, recorded in 2018 during his final year of high school.

Since 2020, Armand has shattered the world record ten times, clinched two Olympic gold medals, and secured two World Championship titles. While pole vaulting and sprinting may seem unrelated, they share a significant connection. The speed and acceleration Duplantis achieves on the runway directly translate into greater vertical energy when he plants the pole and inverts.

Despite this, Duplantis is optimistic about his performance. However, Warholm, aware of Duplantis’s strengths, respects him greatly: “Mondo’s strengths are going to be his acceleration,” especially in the first 40-50 meters, which will be a significant factor. With only a few hours left until the race, the excitement is really starting to build.