American Rai Benjamin clipped a hurdle and was briefly disqualified, but was eventually reinstated Friday as a first-time 400-meter hurdles world champion.
Sept. 19 American Rai Benjamin clipped a hurdle and was briefly disqualified, but was eventually reinstated as a first-time 400-meter hurdles world champion Friday in Tokyo.
Benjamin battled Norway’s Karsten Warholm, the world-record holder (45.94), throughout the beginning stages of the World Athletics Championships event at Japan National Stadium.
“I’m happy I came out here and got the job done, finally”, he said on the NBC Sports broadcast. “I got another major championship individually under my belt. I can sleep well tonight.
Warholm slammed into the slammed into the third hurdle, but was even with Benjamin on the seventh. The American then dug for a final surge out of Lane 7, creating space in front of the Norwegian.
Benjamin scorched past the 200-meter mark and held a large lead on the field before clipping the 10th and final hurdle with his left foot.
