Which athlete set the men’s 400-metre hurdles world record of 45.94 seconds?

Karsten Warholm set the men’s 400-metre hurdles world record of 45.94 seconds.

The Norwegian ran 45.94 at the Tokyo Olympics on 3 August 2021, winning the gold medal in one of the fastest races in athletics history. His performance lowered his own world record and made him the first athlete to break 46 seconds in the event.

Warholm’s race was closely contested by the United States’ Rai Benjamin, who also finished below the previous world record. Benjamin ran 46.17 seconds for silver, while Brazil’s Alison dos Santos won bronze.

The 400-metre hurdles combines one complete lap with ten evenly spaced hurdles. Athletes must negotiate the barriers without losing sprint speed, making rhythm, stride pattern and endurance central to success.