TOKYO- Some are calling Monday’s men’s 400-meter hurdles race the “Race of the Century”. Others, the best race in Olympic history. But there is no question that this race was the best of any we’ve seen, or will see at these 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
It had everything you’d want out of a gold medal final.
A fight to the finish? Check.
A world record mark? You got it.
The drama of two world-class runners and rivals meeting for the first time at the Olympics? Absolutely.
As Karsten Warholm of Denmark and Rai Benjamin of the United States rounded the final turn and headed into the last straightaway, people watching around the world knew it was going to be a must-see finish. If fans had been allowed inside the stadium, there is no doubt the roar from the crowd would have been deafening.
In the weeks leading up to the race, it had become evident that, assuming all went to plan, we would witness a world-record-breaking run from Warholm and Benjamin in the 400-meter hurdles final.
And that is exactly what happened.
From the moment the starting gun was fired, the entire field was off, though most eyes focused on lanes five and six, where the two frontrunners were racing. Warholm, without the closing speed of Benjamin, a former USC standout, went out quickly, attempting to build a significant lead in preparation for the final straightaway.
As the Norweigan distanced himself from the rest of the field, gracefully bounding over each hurdle, Benjamin sprinted in pursuit. Each runner’s stride was notably smooth, almost hiding the fact of the intense pace they were galloping at.
Benjamin, the faster runner of the two leaders, began reeling Warholm in as they hit the final 100 meters. With just one hurdle remaining before a sprint to the finish, Benjamin nearly evened himself with Warholm as the anticipation of the finish grew.
But in the fight to the line, Warholm separated himself, this time for good. Using his arms to generate momentum, with his legs nearly exhausted, Warholm held off Benjamin, who put everything he had into the final 20 meters.
NBC won't allow the video to be shown within this article, but here is the link to watch it on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qFJuTpqBLM&t=90s
Coming in, most knew it would take a world-record-breaking time to win gold. But as it turned out, it also took a world-record time to claim the silver. Warholm completely obliterated the previous world record of 46.70 seconds, set by him on July 1 of this year, becoming the first man in history to break 46 seconds in the event (45.94). Benjamin also ran well under the previous record, setting an American record in the process of 46.17 seconds. It was such a fast race even the bronze medalist, Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos, set a new South American record.
It is also worth noting that before Warholm ran the 46.70 last month, Kevin Young’s time of 46.78 seconds had stood for 29 years, untouched.
Also, to understand the significance of Warholm’s sub-46 second sprint, look at the equivalency tables released by World Athletics to a 45.94 in the 400 hurdles:
100-meter dash- 9.62 seconds
800-meters-1:39.79
Mile- 3:39.53
Marathon- 2:00:20
This was the kind of competitiveness and top-tier competition that is expected on the Olympic stage. In fact, it’s hard to put into words what took place in under 47 seconds on the track as the fastest in the world put on a show that will not be forgotten for quite a long time.
And here’s the best part: Warholm is 25, Benjamin, 24.
These two will be back at the World Championships next summer, and likely again in Paris at the 2024 Olympics.
They’ve not yet reached the peak of their careers, leading us to wonder how many more records will fall when these two meet on the track in future races.
Benjamin summed up the thoughts of many post-race, when he told the media, “I don’t even think Usain Bolt’s [9.69 was better than this].”
I would have to agree.
Comments