'Best race in Olympic history': Inside the record-breaking duel between Rai Benjamin and Karsten Warholm

TOKYO — Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang had dubbed it a "superduellen," or super duel. Dagbladet, another tabloid in Oslo, went with "gullduel" – golden duel. 

But years from now, when Norwegian newspapers recall the insanity and incredulity of the men's 400-meter hurdles final at the Tokyo Olympics, the operative phrase may very well be "tidenes største løp" – the greatest race of all time.

In one of the most highly-anticipated matchups on the track in Tokyo, Norway's Karsten Warholm narrowly edged American Rai Benjamin to win Olympic gold on Tuesday, a magnificent race in which both men smashed the previous world record by half a second – a staggering feat in an event where races are often won and lost by hundredths. 

Warholm crossed the finish line in 45.94 seconds, lowering the world record he set a month ago by 0.76. Benjamin won silver in 46.17. And even Alison dos Santos of Brazil, who took bronze, flirted with Warholm's previous world best of 46.70, coming up short by just two-hundredths of a second, in 46.72. 

"I would say this was probably the best race ever, in Olympic history," Benjamin said. "I don't think any other race compares to what we just did, about two hours ago. It's undeniable. Like, there's nothing you can compare to what just happened out there."

The times were so low, so dumbfoundingly fast, that Benjamin said he didn't believe them at first, when they appeared on the scoreboard at Tokyo's Olympic Stadium. He saw Warholm's time first. "What the hell?" he thought. Then he saw his own time and thought "there's no way."

Benjamin removed his headband and put his hands on his knees. Warholm let out a primal scream and ripped open his shirt. He later said he couldn't feel his legs for the final 20 meters of the race. He just sensed that there was "a crazy American" trying to catch him, and urged his legs forward.

"I would die for that gold medal today," the Norwegian said.

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There are many ways to contextualize the greatness of Tuesday's race, but let's run through just a few.

Until the beginning of last month, the world record was 46.78 seconds. It was set by Kevin Young in 1992 – before Benjamin and Warholm, both 25, were born. The top three finishers all bested it Tuesday.

And it wasn't just the medalists. Six of the eight men in the race set new national records for their respective nations. The times recorded by fourth- and fifth-place finishers – Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands and Abderrahman Samba of Qatar – would have been good enough to win gold medals at any of the past five Olympic Games.

"What you saw today was the epitome of greatness," said McMaster. "When people look back on the race, whenever they see this result, they’re going to see my name. So I’m grateful for that, you know?"

In the weeks leading up to the Tokyo Olympics, it was framed as the latest chapter of a budding rivalry between Warholm and Benjamin. The two men finished first and second, respectively, at the 2019 world championships in Doha, Qatar. Together, they owned 13 of the 20 fastest marks of all-time entering Tuesday.

Benjamin, who is originally from New York but ran collegiately at Southern Cal, described their relationship earlier this week as a competitive rivalry, but not a personal one. He said they chat in the call room before races and have a mutual respect for one another.

"I feel like the media sometimes tries to pin me against him, but it's not really like that at all," Benjamin said. "I mean, he's a really cool guy. We just want to go out there and have fun and run fast times."

Warholm added that, with results like theirs, "I think we should share the glory."

Originally a multi-event athlete who competed in the octathlon, Warholm grew up in a coastal town in the northwestern part of Norway and has since become its most prominent track and field star. He is more fiery and intense than Benjamin, who exudes cool. And on Tuesday, Warholm said he believed that his tactics in the race – including the decision to push the pace right at the start – ended up giving him an edge.

Benjamin, for his part, said he would need to review film to fully diagnosis where he went wrong. But he knew immediately that he lost his rhythm on the fourth hurdle, slipping out of sync on his way to No. 5.

"When you get to an event like this, you cannot manage to make mistakes like that, because it costs you so much," he said. "It's a lot to process. It's a lot of things that I could've done differently. But at the same time, how could you know? (I'd) never ran that fast before."

The times from Warholm and Benjamin were so fast that they would have been competitive even in the regular 400-meter field. Forty-eight men entered the 400 at the Tokyo Olympics, and Warholm ran faster than 18 of them Tuesday, while also jumping over 10 hurdles. Benjamin ran faster than 14.

Surely, there will be many more matchups between him and Warholm. Both are in the prime of their careers. And due to pandemic-related scheduling adjustments, there will be either a world championship or Summer Olympics in each of the next four years. The next major event will be the 2022 world championships, in Eugene, Oregon.

A reporter asked the two men if they feel like they are entering a new era in their event. Benjamin agreed that it does. For so long, he said, they were chasing Young's record, and now they "literally just tore it to pieces."

"It's just crazy that we're all good at the same time," Benjamin said.

Yet no matter what happens in their future meetings, Benjamin and Warholm seemed to understand that Tuesday's final might prove to be the pinnacle. "No one in history is going to go out there and do what we just did, just now," Benjamin said. It's a moment to remember, and to celebrate.

And it might just prove to be "tidenes største løp."

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.