Alison dos Santos sets 400m hurdles World Championships record as Warholm fades in final

Brazil's Alison dos Santos has won the world 400m hurdles title with a scintillating run in Oregon.

The 22-year-old, who held the world lead coming into the final, finished the race in 46.29 to take gold. Behind him, the USA pairing of Rai Benjamin and Trevor Bassitt claimed silver and bronze, with world record holder Karsten Warholm only managing seventh after fading over the last 150m.

Much of the talk headed into the final centred around whether world record holder and Olympic champion Warholm would be at his best after sustaining a hamstring injury at the Rabat Diamond League meet in June. However, his performances in the earlier rounds, where he looked strong and comfortable, had temporarily quieted concerns over his fitness.

After starting strongly, the Norwegian could not keep pace, eventually finishing a disappointing seventh in 48.42 - over two seconds behind the winner and new champion from Brazil. 

Dos Santos, on the other hand, took his chance with both hands, setting a blistering pace to win the race in a new world lead of 46.29, after leaving the other competitors in his wake. 

It was only the second gold medal won by a Brazilian athlete in World Championships history after pole vaulter Fabiana Murer in 2011, and the first-ever by a man. It was also the fastest-ever 400m hurdles race run by a South American.

Behind Dos Santos, home favourite Benjamin raced home in 46.89 for silver, the exact same medal he won at Tokyo 2020. And when, after a short delay, it was confirmed that his compatriot Bassitt had claimed bronze, the entire Hayward Field erupted in applause. 

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Dos Santos elated but not surprised with World Champs win

After the race, Dos Santos spoke about his joy at winning the World Championships medal - even if it didn't come as a surprise to him that he claimed this historic gold.

"I really came and trained really well," he said. "I did everything I can to come here and win the World Championships, so I was not surprised when I won.

"I knew that I can run faster than my PR so when I passed the line and I saw 46.29, I was like – 'ohhh' – it was amazing. I was so, so, so happy for that. And I know that I can run faster than that. So I'm just proud and excited and I want to run again, you know."

And when asked how he would celebrate his historic victory, the Brazilian said he is looking to take advantage of some tasty tips from his fellow athletes. 

"To celebrate, I will eat pizza at the Athletes' Village," he joked. "Many people have recommended it to me. Today I think I can drink soda."

Second in the final for the second time in as many major championships, the USA's Benjamin spoke about how his race had been affected by recent struggles with illness and injury.

“Going down the back straight it hurt a lot and I found myself out of the race a little but I heard the crowd erupt, ‘USA, USA’, and it just helped me dig a little bit deeper ad just run home,” he said.

In the end, Warholm was unable to add to the World Championships golds he won in 2017 and 2019, and the athlete was rational in his analysis of his own race, which had proved a hurdle too far in his quest to become a triple world champion.

"I’ve been living on this cloud for the last three or four years, you know, when everything has been going my way. And with this injury I had to do things a little differently," he explained. "Somehow I hope that one day I can be proud of coming here, given the circumstances, but it’s a bit of a weird feeling not being able to fight for the gold today."

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