Rai Benjamin’s long-awaited crowning came in dramatic fashion at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, as he finally clinched the world title in the men’s 400m hurdles — adding it to the Olympic gold he won in Paris 2024. (Reuters)

The Race & the Result

• Benjamin crossed the line in 46.52 seconds, a season’s best. (Reuters)

• He finished ahead of Alison dos Santos of Brazil, who clocked 46.84 seconds for silver, and Abderrahman Samba of Qatar, who took bronze in 47.06 seconds. (NBC Sports)

The Drama: Disqualification, Then Reprieve

• After the race, Benjamin was provisionally disqualified for knocking the final (10th) hurdle in his lane, causing it to impinge slightly into the neighboring lane — potentially affecting Nigerian athlete Ezekiel Nathaniel, who was running behind him. (NBC Sports)

• Nathaniel had finished fourth, narrowly missing a medal.

• For a moment, it looked like Benjamin’s gold might be taken away. (The Washington Post)

• Benjamin and the U.S. team lodged an appeal.

• After reviewing the incident, officials overturned the provisional disqualification, reinstating Benjamin as the world champion. (Reuters)

• In the aftermath, Benjamin was seen wearing a golden paper crown given by a fan — a symbolic touch in a night of both tension and triumph. (NBC Sports)

Context & Significance

• This is Benjamin’s first individual world championship gold in the 400m hurdles.

• Before this, he had collected silvers and a bronze in previous world events. (Reuters)

• He comes into this as Olympic champion (Paris 2024) — now he has both titles. (NBC Sports)

• Meanwhile, Karsten Warholm — the world record holder and former world champion — did not feature as strongly as expected this time, finishing fifth after a tough race. (WSLS)

Benjamin’s Reaction & Reflections

He expressed relief and pride: “I’m glad I finally got the job done,” he said. (Reuters)

He also admitted that fatigue played a part in his clipping the final hurdle: “Those hurdles get really high… I think that was the issue.” (NBC Sports)

Dos Santos, who came second, supported the appeal decision, saying he didn’t believe Benjamin’s action was unfair. (The Washington Post)

What It Means Moving Forward

This victory cements Benjamin’s status among the elite in 400m hurdles.

He had long been chasing this world title — having come close multiple times — and now that he has it, the major individual golds are aligned: Olympic champion and world champion.

It also adds pressure and expectations: can he maintain this dominance?

Can he improve further, perhaps challenge the existing world record? The performance suggests he’s capable, especially given that he did this despite the dramatic detour of the disqualification scare.