OSLO (Reuters) - World junior record holder Sydney McLaughlin upstaged Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad to win the women's 400 metres hurdles race at the Bislett Games on Thursday.
McLaughlin, running in her favourite event for the first time as a professional, made a poor start and clipped the first hurdle with her knee but took advantage after Muhammad, who appeared to be cruising, ran out of gas in the closing stages.
The 19-year-old burst past three other runners including world champion Kori Carter to win in 54.16 seconds, ahead of fellow American Muhammad in 54.35.
"It wasn't the cleanest race for me but I came back strong," McLaughlin said. "It was a sloppy race but I pulled through. I've got to work on my first half of the race, the second half is always my strongest."
The men's 400 metres hurdles produced an outstanding run from world champion Karsten Warholm as the Norwegian won in a European record of 47.33 seconds to the delight of the home crowd.
Warholm and Commonwealth champion Kyron McMaster were level after the fifth hurdle but the British Virgin Islander stumbled slightly as he landed and Warholm burst away.
World record holder Beatrice Chepkoech was beaten in the home straight by fellow Kenyan Norah Jeruto who won the women's 3,000 metres steeplechase in a world leading time of nine minutes 03.71 seconds.
World championship silver medallist Christian Coleman also set a world leading time as he won the 100 metres in 9.85 seconds, especially impressive in the cool conditions.
"It was a good run and a pretty good time - now I'll look back at the video and critique it," said Coleman. "It wasn't ideal conditions but the crowd made it exciting."
The American was quick out of the blocks and was so far ahead by the halfway point that it did not matter when he lost ground over the last few metres.
(This story corrects to make clear it was McLaughlin's first 400 metres hurdles race as a professional)
(Reporting by Brian Homewood, editing by Ed Osmond)