Rai Benjamin Reinstated as 2025 World Champion — Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel Back to 4th
A dramatic turn of events marked the men's 400 metres hurdles final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Initially disqualified for an incident involving the final hurdle, American hurdler Rai Benjamin was later reinstated after a successful appeal by the United States team. With Benjamin’s reinstatement, Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel — who had briefly been provisionally upgraded during the disqualification period — was returned to 4th place.
How the race unfolded
Rai Benjamin crossed the finish line first with an official winning time recorded at 46.52 seconds. Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos finished second and Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba took third. Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel completed the race in a strong 47.11 seconds, placing him just off the podium in fourth.
The disqualification and immediate impact
Moments after the race concluded, race officials announced the disqualification of Rai Benjamin. The decision was based on Benjamin clipping the final (10th) hurdle, which in the officials’ view had displaced the hurdle in a way that interfered with another competitor's lane. When Benjamin was disqualified, provisional placings were adjusted — creating a short-lived upgrade for some athletes, including a potential podium movement for Nathaniel.
“What’s a world championships without a little bit of drama... Thankfully, things went my way.” — Rai Benjamin (on being reinstated)
The appeal and reversal
The United States team filed an immediate appeal against the disqualification. After review, World Athletics overturned the disqualification and reinstated Rai Benjamin as the official gold medallist. With the reversal, the official final order was confirmed: Rai Benjamin — Gold, Alison Dos Santos — Silver, Abderrahman Samba — Bronze, and Ezekiel Nathaniel — 4th.
Reactions
Benjamin expressed relief at the appeal result and said the reinstatement felt fair. Alison Dos Santos — who would have benefited from the disqualification — publicly supported the decision to reinstate Benjamin, saying he would not want to win due to a ruling he considered unfair to a fellow competitor. Ezekiel Nathaniel, meanwhile, handled the rollercoaster with composure: while he briefly thought a podium finish might be possible, he acknowledged the final ruling and said publicly that he had “no complaints,” noting he did not feel the knocked hurdle materially affected his rhythm.
Why this matters — rules and ramifications
The incident underlines how technical and consequential hurdling rules are at the highest level — especially rules related to hurdle displacement and lane interference. The review-and-appeal mechanism exists to ensure fairness, but it can also lead to emotionally charged reversals after the moment of celebration or disappointment on the track.
Quick facts (final)
- Gold: Rai Benjamin — 46.52 (reinstated)
- Silver: Alison Dos Santos — 46.84
- Bronze: Abderrahman Samba — 47.06
- 4th: Ezekiel Nathaniel — 47.11
- Event: Men’s 400 metres hurdles — 2025 World Athletics Championships
- Date / Place: September 19, 2025 — Tokyo
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