Brazil's Alison Dos Santos wins surprising 400m gold at World Championships, beating American Rai Benjamin

Shalise Manza Young

For months, athletics fans have been anticipating the men's 400 meter hurdles at the World Championships, believing it would be another showdown between Norway's Karsten Warholm and American Rai Benjamin. At the Tokyo Olympics last year, Warholm broke the world record to win gold with Benjamin winning silver in a time that also broke the world record.

As Warholm dealt with injury over the past year and Benjamin missed three weeks of training this spring due to COVID-19, Brazil's Alison Dos Santos, the bronze medalist from Tokyo, put together a stellar season on the Diamond League circuit.

On Tuesday night, just as hurdles legend Edwin Moses predicted in an earlier interview with NBC, it was the technically superior Dos Santos who won the gold in a championship record time of 46.29. It is the first Worlds gold for Brazil.

(From left) Silver medalist Rai Benjamin of Team USA, gold medalist Alison dos Santos of Team Brazil and bronze medalist Trevor Bassitt of the U.S. celebrate after competing in the men's 400 meter hurdles at the World Athletics Championships on July 19, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
(From left) Silver medalist Rai Benjamin of Team USA, gold medalist Alison dos Santos of Team Brazil and bronze medalist Trevor Bassitt of the U.S. celebrate after competing in the men's 400 meter hurdles at the World Athletics Championships on July 19, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Benjamin was the silver medalist, in 46.89, finishing second for the third straight global championship. Fellow American Trevor Bassitt, a product of Division II Ashland University, won bronze in a lifetime best 47.39, medaling by out-leaning France's Wilfried Happio.

Warholm got off to a fast start but faded after the eighth of 10 hurdles and finished seventh.

Dos Santos spent four months in the hospital as a toddler after a pan of hot oil fell on him when he was 10 months old. He still bears scars from the third-degree burns, with discoloration most noticeable on his scalp.

Great Britain ends Kenya's run in men's 1500

In the penultimate track event of Tuesday night, Jake Wightman of Great Britain pulled off a stunning win in the men's 1500 meters in 3:29.23

Wightman didn't just surprise the field and the crowd, he seemingly surprised himself. As he crossed the finish line and spread his arms wide, he said, "Oh my God!" In the moments after the race, even after the gold medal was placed around his neck and he was handed a flag to wrap himself in, he still had a stunned smile on his face.

Wightman out-kicked Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who was considered the favorite. Wightman's win also broke Kenya's hold on the event. A Kenyan had won the 1500m in the previous five World Championships meets.

Two other medals were awarded Tuesday night: Australia's Eleanor Patterson won women's high jump with a clearance of 2.02 meters (6 feet, 7.5 inches), and Slovenia's Kristjan ÄŒeh won men's discus with a best effort of 71.13 meters (233-4.5).

Advertisement