Reigning world and European 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm and the Ingebrigtsen brothers will star on Norway’s team at the European Athletics Team Championships First League in Sandnes from 9-11 August.
Six weeks before winning the world title in London, Warholm won the 400m hurdles at the European Team Championships First League in Vaasa, Finland in a championship record of 48.46 but the 23-year-old will be contesting the 400m flat this year as well as the 4x400m relay.
Warholm won the European indoor title in Glasgow in March when he equalled Thomas Schonlebe’s European record of 45.05. He is yet to compete on the flat outdoors this year (injury forced him to withdraw from contesting the 400m in Ostrava on 20 June) but his lifetime best of 44.87 which dates back to June 2017 must be due for some revision.
For posterity, the championship record in the 400m stands to Belgium’s Jonathan Borlee at 44.99 from 2010.
The Ingebrigtsens will also be out in force in the championships which takes place in their hometown. Jakob will be contesting the 1500m with Henrik and Filip contesting the 3000m and 5000m respectively.
European 3000m steeplechase bronze medallist Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal will contest both the 1500m and 3000m in Sandnes and high marks are also expected from Hedda Hynne (800m), Sigrid Borge (javelin), Sondre Guttormsen (pole vault) and Ola Stunes Isene (discus).
Due to the changes to the format which were agreed by the European Athletics Council in November, only the winning team from the First League will gain promotion into the Super League which will be streamlined from twelve to eight nations from 2021 onwards.
The full Norwegian team can be found here.