Gunnell: Warholm's world record should blaze a trail for Team GB athletes to follow

Sally Gunnell says Karsten Warholm shattering the 400m hurdles world record can be a shot in the arm to British athletics and propel Team GB stars on a pathway to Paris glory.

Norwegian Warholm, 25, stunned the sporting world on Monday as he stopped the clock in 45.94 to capture Olympic gold in Tokyo.

Warholm was chased home by American Rai Benjamin but had enough in the tank to slam the accelerator and smash his previous record by over seven tenths of a second.

Team GB's high-profile athletes have failed to fire in Tokyo as Dina Asher-Smith and Adam Gemili suffered injuries and fellow sprinter Zharnel Hughes was disqualified from the 100m final for a false start.

Former Olympic champion Gunnell, who soared to 400m hurdles gold at Barcelona 1992, loved watching Warholm make history and hopes his remarkable triumph can blaze a trail for British stars to follow.

The 55-year-old, who was also crowned world champion in 1993, said: "Watching that 400m hurdles world record from Karsten Warholm was unbelievable.

“A time of 45.94 is just ridiculous - I think our 400 guys would be happy with that flat.

"Warholm's achievement makes you realise how much hard work he puts in. Even though he's not British, he is a key figure to inspire the next generation of British athletes looking towards Paris.

“Technically and professionally, Warholm is incredible. He was shocked himself to break that record, and him being so shocked by his own performance makes it real.

“It was a really good, competitive race - Benjamin [Rai] was there and they were running together over that last hurdle. That was really good to see - and helped push Warholm to achieving that time."

Team GB poster girl Asher-Smith, 25, was hotly-tipped to be Britain's story of the Games while Hughes, 26, blew his golden opportunity at the start of the blue ribband 100m final.

And like Asher-Smith, Gemili also saw his hopes dashed by a hamstring injury as Britain's misery intensified at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson has the chance to banish those demons in tomorrow's heptathlon but even her preparation has been blighted by a lingering Achilles injury.

Precocious Keely Hodgkinson, 19, did star on Tuesday, however, delivering a performance beyond her years to scoop 800m silver and give British fans a long-overdue source of athletics joy.

Gunnell says she sympathises with Asher-Smith, Gemili and Johnson-Thompson's plight and is calling on the next generation of ‘superstars' to lead the charge at Paris 2024.

She added: "We haven't had much luck for Team GB with Dina and Adam's injuries. It's been really sad to see them both struggle, but they will come back stronger for Paris.

"And the Olympics being pushed back didn't help Kat as she was in great shape last year and then suffered that Achilles injury.

“But, sometimes we have new superstars coming through and we shouldn't always rely on the old ones. Hopefully in that women's 800m, we will see new superstars coming through - Keely is still only 19-years-old, and we have Laura Muir in the 1500m who looks great.

"We've done really well at the European Juniors - it's great to have so many youngsters coming through."

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