After a three year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Karsten Warholm Invitational returns to the indoor calendar next February with some big names already confirmed for the meeting - including Karsten Warholm himself.
The meeting takes place in Warholm’s hometown of Ulsteinvik on 2 February and is also a World Athletics Indoor Tour Challenger level meeting. The full 2023 calendar can be found here.
Warholm will contest the 400m in his hometown en route to a possible appearance in another Norwegian vest at the Istanbul 2023 European Athletics Indoor Championships from 2-5 March.
“I am really looking forward to running at home in Ulsteinhallen again. It will be the first event of the winter season for me. There is always a good atmosphere at home, so I am really looking forward to this.
“The Karsten Warholm Invitational always has a high priority for me. It will be a nice and important warm-up for the indoor season. I have plans to have some competitions indoors in 2023 and I am considering the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Istanbul in March - among other things,” said Warholm.
Among his many accolades in the 400m hurdles, Warholm won the 400m flat title at the 2019 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow where he equalled the European record of 45.05.
Reigning European champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh from Ukraine is also confirmed for the high jump in Ulsteinvik while former European indoor and outdoor champion Michal Haratyk from Poland takes on Luxembourg’s Bob Bertemes and home favourite Marcus Thomsen in the shot put.
“This will be the best shot put competition indoors on Norwegian soil ever. Mahuchikh in the high jump will also be a rare treat in international athletics. There will be long throws and some high jumps in Ulsteinvik,” said Stale Jan Frøynes, the athlete coordinator for the Karsten Warholm Invitational.
Other leading Norwegian athletes to be confirmed for Ulsteinvik include Hedda Hynne, Amalie Iuel, Elisabeth Slettum and Henrik Flatnes.
The Karsten Warholm Invitational will be televised live on NRK1 from 8-9pm on 2 February.