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PARIS: Norway’s Karsten Warholm cruised to victory in the 400m hurdles preliminaries in Paris on Monday to set up a battle for the Olympic title against arch-rivals Rai Benjamin of the United States and Alison dos Santos of Brazil.
World record holder Warholm sailed smoothly over the barriers at the Stade de France and beat local hope Clement Ducos in the final metres to take the title in 47.57 seconds, the fastest time of the day.
The three-time world champion has won nearly every honour in the sport, but Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Benjamin and bronze medallist Dos Santos are determined to knock him off the podium.
Benjamin, the fastest runner in the world this year, breezed across the line in 48.82 to win his heat, having beaten the Norwegian at the Monaco Diamond League a few weeks earlier.
Dos Santos took the lead around the final corner of his heat, but the 2022 world champion hit the brakes before the finish and finished third in 48.75, saving his energy for Wednesday’s semifinal.
Estonian Rasmus Magi (48.62) and American CJ Allen (48.64) crossed the finish line ahead of him.
Jamaicans Rossean Clark (48.17) and Malik James King (48.21) won the final two races of the first stage.
The top three finishers from each event and the three runners-up from all heats will advance to the semifinal stage.
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