World premiere: Karsten Warholm's hurdling on ice
Sprinting on ice is a tough challenge. So is hurdling. But combining the two is next level crazy. Norwegian Olympic champion Karsten Warholm has now shown that it is possible.
It was bitterly cold and the wind was blowing at 54 kilometres per hour across an ice rink just outside Oslo. Just the right conditions for the exceptional athlete Karsten Warholm to take on a special challenge.
Dressed only in shorts, cap and shoes, he ran across the ice, jumped over hurdles and set new standards with his run. The Olympic champion and world record holder over 400 metres hurdles celebrated his success not with a glass of cool champagne, but with a dip in an ice hole.
Source: Red Bull Media Pool
Record tests the limits of man and material
The combination of an extremely slippery surface and the explosive power required to sprint and jump on the ice challenges coordination and balance in a unique way. Karsten Warholm believes that such challenges are just the right way to add variety and excitement to training through unconventional methods. "I won't win a gold medal at the world championships with sessions like this," he says, "but the playful attitude and approach that my coach Leif and I have has already brought us many gold medals and will bring many more in the future."
Karsten's coach Leif Olav Alnes had reinforced the shoes for the icy run with nine-millimetre studs to provide better grip. In addition to the athletic performance, the long spikes ensured that everything went smoothly during the challenge.
Source: Red Bull Media Pool
With training sessions like these, Karsten wants to keep testing the limits of what is possible in his sport. While other hurdlers are preparing for the indoor championships, he relentlessly exposes himself to the elements. To counterbalance his intensive training, Karsten builds Lego models in his spare time. It remains to be seen what challenge the Red Bull athlete will set himself next. Perhaps the coloured bricks will play a role in it.
Header image: Red Bull Media Pool
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Siri Schubert
Senior Editor
Siri.Schubert@digitecgalaxus.chResearch diver, outdoor guide and SUP instructor – I love being in, on and around water. Lakes, rivers and the ocean are my playgrounds. For a change of perspective, I look at the world from above while trail running or flying drones.
