The 400 meter hurdles race that was run last night, Swedish time, in Tokyo was probably one of the best athletics races ever run in the world.
Karsten Warholm won on a slightly improbable 45.94.
American Rai Benjamin was really distant and finished second in the time 46.17.
But the time was still 53 hundredths better than the previous record, which Karsten Warholm set in Oslo last month.
- 46.1 ... And I lost.
Jesus ... that's the cruel nature of sport.
If you had told me that I would run so fast and lose, then I would probably have given you a beating, says Benjamin to Norwegian media.
"The biggest race"
According to Benjamin, there is no doubt about where the race will be ranked in Olympic history.
- This was the biggest race in Olympic history.
I do not even think that Usain Bolts 9.5 breaks this.
There were three pieces that in practice broke the world record time.
Enough for the semi at the usual 400
The bronze medal went to Alison dos Santos from Brazil in 46.72, which is the fourth fastest time in the 400 meter hurdles of all time and only two hundredths above Warholm's previous record.
And the question is whether there will ever be anyone other than Warholm who will hold the world record in the future.
- I do not care who it is, but no one in history will run as fast as us.
Regardless of shoe or track, says Rai Benjamin.
Even four Kyrion McMasters were very impressed.
- When I saw the time, I just thought: "Gentlemen!"
Did he run at 45?
Did you know that a time of 45 had given the semifinals of the usual 400 meters?
And they do it with ten hedges.
Let it sink in.
These guys are so fast, it's absolutely insane, he says, whose 47.08 was a personal record and before this summer had been one of the best times ever.