Rai Benjamin delivered a stunning performance to win gold in the men’s 400m hurdles at Paris 2024 athletics, clocking 46.46 seconds. The American edged out Tokyo 2020 champion Karsten Warholm of Norway, who finished with silver in 47.06 seconds, and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, who took bronze in 47.26 seconds.
Reflecting on his victory, Benjamin expressed disbelief and joy: “I can’t believe I actually finally did it. To do it in front of my family and friends means so much to me.”
The race featured a highly competitive field, with eight athletes all vying for the Olympic title. Warholm, the Olympic record holder, entered as the heavy favorite. However, with Dos Santos as the 2022 world champion and Benjamin holding the fastest time of the year, predicting the outcome was difficult.
In the final stretch, Benjamin powered through to secure the win, while Warholm stumbled, losing his chance to catch the American. Benjamin’s victory was particularly sweet, considering the doubts he faced throughout the season. “To get it done here when it really matters, when everyone said I couldn’t, it means so much to me,” he said.
With this win, Benjamin upgrades his Tokyo silver to a Paris gold, leaving the Games with both a piece of French history, embedded in his medal, and the title of Olympic champion.
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