TOKYO — Rai Benjamin of the United States and Karsten Warholm of Norway had spent recent years circling one another as they vied for the title of world’s greatest 400-meter hurdler.
On Tuesday, under the oppressive midday sun at Olympic Stadium, Warholm obliterated his own world record to win his first Olympic gold medal, edging Benjamin, who finished second.
Warholm finished in 45.94 seconds. Benjamin also went under the existing world record in 46.17. Alison dos Santos of Brazil was third.
In the run-up to the Games this summer, Warholm and Benjamin had each seemed determined to assert himself as the world’s best.