The Bislett Games in Oslo, set for Thursday June 12, will deliver a head-to-head showdown between the three fastest men in 400m hurdles history, Karsten Warholm, Rai Benjamin, and Alison dos Santos, as they tackle the 300m hurdles, now an official event on the Wanda Diamond League circuit.
It’s a meeting that feels almost destined, and Rai Benjamin believes modern sport’s precision, science, and timing have a lot to do with it.
A Historic Collision of Generational Talents
Karsten Warholm, the reigning world record holder in both the 400m hurdles and the 300m hurdles, 33.05 set in Xiamen this season, will have home track advantage in Oslo. Joining him will be Olympic champion Benjamin and former world champion Dos Santos, both of whom have crafted impressive seasons of their own.
Dos Santos enters with three wins in 2025, while Benjamin, whose tactical, quality-over-quantity racing philosophy has redefined modern athletics, will be making his outdoor season debut.
The trio, who memorably swept the medals at the epic 2021 Olympic final in Tokyo, will renew their fierce rivalry, not once but twice in the span of three days, with a 400m hurdles rematch in Stockholm looming.
The New Age of High-Performance Athletics
Speaking at a pre-race press conference, Benjamin offered insight into what makes this unprecedented convergence of elite hurdlers possible.
“In this day and age, the way we train, our recovery methods, and how we choose to race give us a performative edge,” Benjamin explained.
“Things were a little different back then. Athletes did more, but now it’s all about efficiency. If a coach can write great workouts and pair that with a solid recovery plan, you can get incredible performances without overworking.”
The 27-year-old highlighted how modern athletes leverage technology and data to optimize every aspect of their performance. From wearables like Whoop, Apple Watches, and Oura Rings to sleep tracking and advanced recovery protocols, today’s stars train smarter, not necessarily harder.
“We’re a data-driven society now,” he said.
“And we’ve discovered that sleep, for example, is a major factor in recovery and consistent high-level performance.”
Benjamin also acknowledged the role of sheer generational talent, calling it extraordinary that three of the greatest hurdlers in history happened to emerge at the same time.
“A lot of people do the right things, but you need that genetic gift to be where we are. It’s chaotic to think that of all the time periods in history, the three of us chose now to be great.”
Benjamin’s Calculated 2025 Campaign
True to his philosophy, Benjamin’s 2025 campaign has been carefully plotted. Aside from a sharp 300m win in Boston back in February, he’s stayed off the track, choosing to peak strategically.
His 2024 season set the tone. After a steady buildup, he clinched Olympic gold in Paris with a commanding 46.46, outdueling both Warholm and Dos Santos despite late-race missteps. That discipline and timing are again in play this season as he eyes another statement performance in Oslo.
Thursday’s Bislett Games showdown and the upcoming Stockholm Diamond League clash will offer another chapter in one of track and field’s most exciting rivalries.