OSLO RÅDHUS (VG) Amalie Iuel (28) has only run 400 meters across goal this season. At the Bislett Games on Thursday, he is aiming for his personal record on a strong front. On Wednesday, its Ukrainian rival said it had received a rude message from its Russian competitor.

Aftenposten collaborates with VG-sporten. Therefore, as a reader of Aftenposten, you also get the articles and services created by VG.

Anna Ryzhykova and Viktoriya Tkachuk ran the 400 meters hurdles against Iuel and Line Kloster in Oslo. The Ukrainian stars have been going through a very difficult time since Russia went on the offensive.

– It’s really heartbreaking to hear what you have to say. It’s just that you’re here and running and getting those times. This is fantastic. You are an inspiration, said Iuel.

– A lot of European athletes messaged me and said that they have a free room, that I can bring the family. There are thousands, Ryzhykova said with tears in her eyes. He claims he received chilling messages from Russians he previously fought and were friends with:

– They wanted me dead, they texted me that “we are guilty” and wrote bad things about my family, he said.

– It’s a terrible situation. Some of our athletes have died in the war. I have a friend I haven’t heard of in a month.

Ryzhykova was awakened by an explosion on February 24. He is from Dnipro, not far from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.

– We are in the 21st century. It’s difficult. The first two weeks we were at home. I am very scared and frustrated. On March 21, I crossed the border and arrived at the training camp, he said. Ryzhykova had not seen her coach since before the war. His family has also returned.

– We worry about our family, says the 32-year-old with a long career behind him with an Olympic bronze medal and three European Championship medals in the spotlight.

– Very difficult, Tkachuk – number six at the Tokyo Olympics – follow up.

See the Ukrainian runner in tears:

Karsten Warholm is missing in Bislett.

– We miss Karsten, said Amalie Iuel at a press conference.

The training buddy topped the Bislett Games last year by setting his first world record. Now he is stretched injury after the season opener in Morocco.

Iuel has a goal to do one of his best races ahead of the sold out Bislett.

Amalie Iuel had this to say about his sporting ambitions at Bislett:

– Hopefully I can run to my personal records. It would be raw, said Iuel.

– I’m not at my best right now. But it would be cool to see how fast it could go, he said.

Percent is from 2019 and 54.72. In Bislett, he met last year’s Diamond League winner Femke Bol, who finished third at the Olympics.

Amalie Iuel made her season debut with a 56.77 race in Greece on 2 June.

– That’s messed up. It’s windy and a tough race. “I have to clean it up,” said Iuel, who was knocked out after a dramatic semifinal at last summer’s Olympics.

PS! Kloster’s line also ran the 400 meters hurdles at Bislett. He had a completely different start to the season. He has come close to Iuel’s personal record of running under 55 seconds – 54.99 – in South Africa for the first time. In addition, the 32-year-old Kloster also has a flat pressure of 400 meters – 51.93. – I’m at my best. I have set four personal records in four distances. I will make a good race and perform well, he said.