Kerron Clement celebrates after winning bronze in the men's 400-meter hurdles at the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships at the London Stadium on Aug. 9, 2017 in London.
Three-time Olympian and defending Olympic champion Kerron Clement ran the fastest time in his heat to reach the men’s 400-meter hurdles final, but it was the man who finished second who would go on to win the gold medal Wednesday at the IAAF World Championships.
Norway’s Karsten Warholm, who is competing in his first world championships, came off the block and quickly moved out ahead of the pack. He still had a big lead with 150 meters to go, and although Clement was one of the athletes pushing to close the gap and reel the 21-year-old back in, he stuttered before his final hurdle. Warholm held on to win with a time of 48.35 seconds and Turkey’s Yasmani Copello finished second in 48.49. Clement won the bronze medal with a time of 48.52.
Clement, 31, who won gold at Olympic Games Rio 2016, won his heat two days earlier with a time of 48.35, while Warholm finished in 48.43.
In addition to his gold medal in 2016, Clement also won gold in the men’s 4x400-meter and silver in the 400-meter hurdles at Olympic Games Beijing 2008, and finished eighth in the 400-meter hurdles at the London Games in 2012. Clement also won the world championship title in 2007 and 2009.
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
