Rai Benjamin’s road to world glory at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo was anything but straightforward. The American star, who crossed the finish line first in a sensational 46.52 seconds, saw his gold medal briefly stripped away after controversy erupted over his collision with the final hurdle.
The drama unfolded when Benjamin clipped the last barrier, sending it slightly off balance into the path of Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel. Initially, officials ruled that the incident may have obstructed another athlete’s performance, leading to Benjamin’s temporary disqualification. In those tense moments, Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos was promoted to gold, Qatar’s Ismail Doudai Abakar to silver, and Nathaniel to bronze. Norway’s Karsten Warholm, the pre-race favorite, endured a nightmare race, finishing fifth after struggling with a thigh issue and a stumble over the third hurdle.
For Benjamin, it was a moment of devastation. After years of chasing the elusive world title, his golden performance seemed stolen by a technicality. The rules state that an athlete must make a genuine attempt to clear each hurdle, and if knocking one over unfairly hinders a rival, a disqualification can stand.
But a detailed video review brought relief. Officials concluded that Benjamin’s hurdle contact did not significantly interfere with Nathaniel’s race, ruling that the Nigerian had not been obstructed in a meaningful way. With the decision reversed, Benjamin was reinstated as the rightful gold medalist, while Nathaniel was pushed back to fourth place.
“I wish I had cleared it cleanly,” Benjamin admitted afterward, reflecting on the near-disaster. “The time could have been even faster. But it wasn’t intentional, and I’m grateful the right call was made.”
Track legends were quick to weigh in, with many agreeing the initial disqualification was too harsh. The reinstatement not only secured Benjamin’s first world title but also highlighted the razor-thin margins between triumph and heartbreak in the hurdles.
Benjamin later joined the crowd in celebrating, his adrenaline still high, as he cheered on the women’s 400m hurdles final where Femke Bol stormed to victory ahead of American Jasmine Jones. Despite the chaos, Benjamin’s commanding run ensured his place at the top, sealing a memorable chapter in athletics history.
