Kebinatshipi delivers race of a lifetime to claim Budapest 400m title

Botswana’s world champion Collen Kebinatshipi met expectations as the 400m favorite, securing the title at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 26 on Saturday (12).

The 22-year-old capped a successful season by bettering his national record again with 43.39, taking sole control of fifth on the world all-time list. This performance extended his record of most sub-44.00 races in one season to six.

Rai Benjamin of the USA chased him home in 44.15 and will switch his focus to the 400m hurdles in Budapest, with Jereem Richards third in 44.23.

Kebinatshipi arrived in Budapest as a Diamond League winner and high on confidence after a 43.40 in Brussels that lifted him to joint fifth on the world all-time list. It was his third Diamond League record of the season after Paris (43.54) and Monaco (43.44).

He was back to his best in Budapest, judging his race to perfection to dominate ahead of world and Olympic 400m hurdles champion Benjamin and Richards, who was runner-up to Kebinatshipi in the Diamond League Final.

Kebinatshipi said he wanted to improve on the world lead of 43.38 set by Samuel Ogazi at the NCAA Championships in June after his Diamond League triumph. To do that, he said he couldn’t relax in the opening part of the race.

That was clearly what Kebinatshipi had in mind as he blasted out of the blocks, starting energetically and with intent. He was well clear of his rivals as he eased off the last turn and seemed on his way to victory.

All eyes were on the clock as he stopped it at 43.39, the race of his life and just 0.01 off the world lead he sought.

Benjamin worked through the pack and edged ahead in the closing moments to complete the first part of his Ultimate 400m and 400m hurdles double in 44.15. Richards, in lane two—the same lane he used when finishing second behind Kebinatshipi at the World Championships in Tokyo last year—finished third in 44.21, 0.08 ahead of Chris Bailey (44.27) and Matt Hudson-Smith (44.28).

“I am proud of myself for sticking through from the start of the season to the end and for everything I was able to do this year,” Kebinatshipi added. “I usually sit back and kick in the last meters, but today I wanted to feel what other athletes feel in their races, to tie up a bit in the last meters.

“I was really tired over the last meters, but that was what I wanted to do and feel. I wanted to leave everything here before I head back home.”