At the world championships in Tokyo, U.S. runner Rai Benjamin captured the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles with a season-best time of 46.52 seconds, adding to his previous Olympic triumph in Paris. Brazilian athlete Alison dos Santos secured the silver with a time of 46.84 seconds, while Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba claimed the bronze at 47.06 seconds.
However, the race was marked by controversy and confusion. Initially, Benjamin crossed the finish line first but faced disqualification moments later due to an incident involving the final hurdle. During the race, he inadvertently knocked the tenth hurdle into the adjoining lane, impacting Nigerian runner Ezekiel Nathaniel, who finished fourth. Nathaniel briefly believed he had moved up to the bronze position, only to learn of the disqualification that had embroiled Benjamin.
“I tried my best to stay upright and run home,” Benjamin explained, noting the fatigue and lactic acid build-up that affected his performance on the final stretch. The situation escalated when he learned of his disqualification while waiting for a post-race interview and confirmed it with Dos Santos.
Following a swift appeal, officials reinstated him as the winner, allowing him to celebrate his victory while wearing a gold medal and a paper crown gifted by a young fan. “What’s a world championships without a little bit of drama?” Benjamin remarked, expressing relief that the decision ultimately favored him.
Dos Santos expressed support for the final outcome, stating, “He didn’t do anything wrong, and that’s not how I want to get a gold.” Three-time world champion Karsten Warholm, who finished fifth in the event, echoed similar sentiments, stating Benjamin deserved the win. Warholm faced challenges of his own, feeling pain in his knee and failing to find his rhythm during the race.
In the women’s 400-meter hurdles, Femke Bol from the Netherlands achieved her second consecutive world title, finishing in 51.54 seconds. American Jasmine Jones took home the silver with a time of 52.08 seconds, while Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalova rounded out the podium with bronze. Bol expressed her joy in retaining her title, thanking the fans for their support.
Among the competitors, Dalilah Muhammad, a former Olympic champion and world record-holder, concluded her illustrious career in seventh place with a time of 54.82 seconds. At 35 years old, Muhammad announced her retirement from track and field at this event, marking the end of a significant chapter in her sporting life.
