American Rai Benjamin beats world-record-holder to win Olympic gold in 400-meter hurdles

American sprinter Rai Benjamin beat world-record-holder Karsten Warholm of Norway and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos in the 400-meter hurdles final to win a gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Friday.

Benjamin clocked 46.46 seconds in the race, finishing several strides ahead of Warholm (47.06) and Dos Santos (47.26) – two of the world’s fastest men. Despite landing awkwardly after he came off the eighth hurdle, Benjamin still cruised to the top spot. 

Benjamin won silver behind Warholm when the Norwegian set the world record at the Tokyo Games three years ago. This is the second Olympic gold for 27-year-old Benjamin, who was part of the 4×400 relay team that won in Tokyo.

Earlier in the day, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set a world record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles. McLaughlin-Levrone ran in 50.37 seconds, beating out her own previous world record time of 50.65 seconds which she set back in June at the U.S. Olympic trials. 

And thanks in part to a thundering effort in rainy conditions from Sha’Carri Richardson, the U.S. also secured a gold medal Friday in the women’s 4×100 relay.