The 2018, Paris, Diamond League was the first occasion where the three best low-hurdlers got to compete against each other. The verdict was without appeal. Not only A. Samba did dominate the race but, with 46.98 s, he became the second athlete ever to run under 47 seconds at a mere 0.2 s of K. Young's world record of 46.78 s. Commonwealth Games winner K. McMaster had to contend himself with second place and a 47.53 s national record. World Champion K. Warholm, running in his usual "suicidal" (too fast first 200 m) tactique was third after having clipped the 8th hurdle, but he still registered his second-best time with 48.06 s.
And then we have the fourth one, that extraterrestrial Antiguan, R. Benjamin, who won the NCAA championships with an astonishing, to say the least, 47.02 in June. What allows every optimism concerning the possibility of a new world record is the fact that all these athletes are very, very young. Samba is the oldest of the lot, born in 1995, Warholm comes next with 1996, while the two Caribbean athletes (McMaster comes from the British Virgin Islands) are born in 1997. Benjamin and Warholm run with 13 strides between hurdles throughout the race (could this explains why Warholm, running out of steam in Paris, stumbled over the 8th hurdle?). McMaster and Samba start the race with 13 strides and then move to 14, both being able to hurdle with either leg. Having watched the two run in adjacent lanes it is clear that Samba is the best technician. Given his superb performance in Paris, he is the one with the biggest chance for a world record.
At this point a mea culpa is in order. Those who follow my blog would have noticed that at each championship I make a special mention about the athletes who did impress me and I am going to follow in the future. That's what happened with Warholm. I first noticed him in the 2016 European's and have been following him thereafter. During the 2017 World's (where world leader McMaster was disqualified in the series) I was impressed by an unknown Mauritania-born Qatari athlete. Samba won his semi-final in 48.75 s and, in the final, he was in second position when he clipped the 9th hurdle losing his balance and all hope for a medal. His semi-final time would have placed him fourth but it is clear that he would have done better in the final. Curiously, when writing my report on the Championships, I focused solely on Warholm and forgot about Samba. Well, what is done is done, but from now on I will closely follow Samba with the highest of expectations.
The three winners of the Paris Diamond League
And then we have the fourth one, that extraterrestrial Antiguan, R. Benjamin, who won the NCAA championships with an astonishing, to say the least, 47.02 in June. What allows every optimism concerning the possibility of a new world record is the fact that all these athletes are very, very young. Samba is the oldest of the lot, born in 1995, Warholm comes next with 1996, while the two Caribbean athletes (McMaster comes from the British Virgin Islands) are born in 1997. Benjamin and Warholm run with 13 strides between hurdles throughout the race (could this explains why Warholm, running out of steam in Paris, stumbled over the 8th hurdle?). McMaster and Samba start the race with 13 strides and then move to 14, both being able to hurdle with either leg. Having watched the two run in adjacent lanes it is clear that Samba is the best technician. Given his superb performance in Paris, he is the one with the biggest chance for a world record.
Samba stumbling at the 9th hurdle in London World's
At this point a mea culpa is in order. Those who follow my blog would have noticed that at each championship I make a special mention about the athletes who did impress me and I am going to follow in the future. That's what happened with Warholm. I first noticed him in the 2016 European's and have been following him thereafter. During the 2017 World's (where world leader McMaster was disqualified in the series) I was impressed by an unknown Mauritania-born Qatari athlete. Samba won his semi-final in 48.75 s and, in the final, he was in second position when he clipped the 9th hurdle losing his balance and all hope for a medal. His semi-final time would have placed him fourth but it is clear that he would have done better in the final. Curiously, when writing my report on the Championships, I focused solely on Warholm and forgot about Samba. Well, what is done is done, but from now on I will closely follow Samba with the highest of expectations.
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