Brazilian star Alison dos Santos continued his superb season with a statement victory in the men’s 400m hurdles at the 2025 Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.
The 24-year-old, known for his relentless finish and long, powerful strides, stormed to the front in the final 100m to clock a blistering 46.65 seconds, his season’s best, and hand Olympic champion Rai Benjamin a rare defeat on American soil.
Final Results
- 🇧🇷 Alison dos Santos — 46.65s (SB)
- 🇺🇸 Rai Benjamin — 46.71s
- 🇳🇬 Ezekiel Nathaniel — 47.88s
- 🇺🇸 Trevor Bassitt — 48.29s
- 🇶🇦 Abderrahman Samba — 48.76s
- 🇺🇸 CJ Allen — 49.58s
- 🇯🇲 Assinie Wilson — 49.89s
- 🇮🇹 Alessandro Sibilio — 50.17s
- 🇯🇲 Malik James-King — 50.21s
It was a gripping race from the gun, with Benjamin, the Diamond League record holder at Hayward Field, setting a fierce early pace. But dos Santos, who has already enjoyed a stellar year with victories in Doha and Oslo, reeled him in down the home stretch to underline his status as one of the world’s premier hurdlers. Nigeria’s NCAA champion Ezekiel Nathaniel also impressed on his professional debut, finishing third with a solid 47.88s.
Dos Santos’ triumph adds to an outstanding campaign that has seen him clock 46.86s to win in Doha and 46.63s in Oslo — the latter victory particularly memorable as it came on the home track of Norwegian star Karsten Warholm.
After taking bronze at the 2024 Summer Olympics, dos Santos has been on a mission to assert himself as the dominant force in the event. His participation in the upcoming inaugural Grand Slam Track series, launched by sprint legend Michael Johnson, further signals his ambitions to redefine the 400m hurdles landscape.