Rai Benjamin handed world record holder Karsten Warholm another defeat this season at Prefontaine Classic Wanda Diamond League Final at Hayward Field
By Steve Campbell
Eugene, OR — Rai Benjamin, the bronze medalist from last month’s world championships in Budapest, set a new Diamond League record in the Men’s 400m Hurdles and handed Karsten Warholm another defeat at the Wanda Diamond League Final 2023.
Karsten Warholm Beaten Again
Benjamin clocked a time of 46.39 seconds to secure the title here today at the Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field, eclipsing the previous record of 46.51 seconds set by Warholm in Monaco earlier this year.
The American was slightly behind the Norwegian entering the final 100m but overpowered the jaded-looking Olympic champion in the closing meters to win comfortably in the end.
“Being a sprinter, that’s what I am. Went back to my old race model, because my second half is just amazing,” he said. “I came out here with no expectation, just to have fun and close out the season.
"Just tried to channel that today and I feel like I did a really good job.”
Meanwhile, Warholm, the world champion and record holder, finished second with a time of 46.53 seconds. This marks his second loss since winning gold in Budapest, having been previously defeated by Kyron McMaster at the Zurich Diamond League meeting.
McMaster, the world championships silver medalist and two-time Commonwealth Games winner, finished third with a time of 47.31 seconds.
Alison dos Santos, the 2022 world champion, continued his comeback from surgery earlier this season, with a fourth-place finish in a time of 47.44 seconds.
The Men’s 400m World Record Overview
The world record for the Men’s 400m Hurdles is 45.94 seconds, set by Karsten Warholm in Tokyo in 2021 during a very fast Olympic race. Benjamin’s time today not only set a new Diamond League record but also became the world lead, surpassing Warholm’s previous best this season.
“I’m not really too caught up in this win,” Benjamin said. “What matters is winning at major championships and I haven’t done that yet so I need to do that.”
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