Rai Benjamin ends Warholm's reign, wins 400m hurdles gold at Paris Olympics

Rai Benjamin finally overcame his long-time rival, Karsten Warholm, to win the Olympic gold in the 400 metres hurdles on Friday.

The victory extended the United States' dominance in athletics and prevented Warholm from becoming only the second man to successfully defend his Olympic title in this event.

Karsten Warholm, a Norwegian track star, has been a dominant force in the 400 metres hurdles for years. He first gained global attention when he won the World Championships in London in 2017, marking the beginning of his reign. Warholm solidified his status as the best in the world by winning consecutive World Championships in 2019 and setting a new world record of 45.94 seconds at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 — a time widely regarded as one of the greatest performances in track and field history. However, this season, he struggled to reach those heights, and despite a valiant effort, he finished with the silver medal in Paris, clocking 47.06 seconds.

Benjamin, who had previously finished second to Warholm in Tokyo and earned two silvers and a bronze in world championships, finally broke through with a season-best performance, clocking 46.46 seconds to claim gold. Warholm's struggles this season were evident, but his legacy remains intact as one of the greatest 400m hurdlers in history.

Brazilian Alison dos Santos, who also took bronze in Tokyo and only made it to Friday’s final as a fast loser, claimed the bronze again with a time of 47.26 seconds, rounding out a podium filled with the three fastest men ever in the event.

Benjamin expressed his disbelief at finally winning, saying, "I can't believe I actually finally did it." He highlighted the importance of achieving this milestone in front of his family and friends. Reflecting on the race, he mentioned that he realized he was going to win just five meters before the finish line.

This victory added to the US athletics medal haul in Paris, bringing the total to 11 golds, 10 silvers, and eight bronzes. In contrast, the host nation, France, continued to struggle.

Local favourite Clement Ducos, who had the support of the home crowd, finished fourth, leaving France still searching for its first athletics medal as the Games approached their final day.