OVER THE COURSE OF an incredibly dominant season, Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi made a habit of pulling off dramatic come-from-behind wins. In Budapest he flipped his script and went out like a rocket, built a commanding lead early and cruised home to a decisive victory, lowering his national record to 43.39.
The heats advanced the top 4 in each section, with no time qualifiers. Kebinatshipi followed his standard strategy of using a late surge to pick off the leader (in this case, Trinidad’s DL Final runner-up Jereem Richards). He coasted across the line in 44.23. Chris Bailey narrowly took 2nd over fellow American Rai Benjamin, with both clocking 44.28, while Richards (44.44) held on the last qualifying spot. World indoor champion Christopher Morales Williams (44.98) of Canada was an unlucky 5th.
In the second section, American Jacory Patterson also came on strong down the homestretch. Only 6th at 300, he stormed home and passed Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith late for the win, 44.73–44.79. Botswana’s Lee Eppie (44.85) was 3rd, while Hungary’s Attila Molnár (44.97), bolstered by roaring support from the home crowd, grabbed the last spot in the final ahead of Japan’s Yuki Joseph Nakajima (45.00).
In the final Kebinatshipi blasted out of the blocks in lane 7, hitting the 100 in 10.61. Richards, in lane 2, ran 2nd in 10.92. The ’25 world champion did not let up, cruising through 200 in 20.67, while Hudson-Smith (20.97) had moved into 2nd, followed by Richards (21.14) and Benjamin (21.24).
“Because this was my last race [of the season], we had nothing to lose, even if I was going to tie up,” said the Motswana, who continued to grow his lead at 300 (31.37), seemingly putting Wayde van Niekerk’s 2016 WR (43.03) in reach. “The World Record was not part of the plan. I’m still far from planning for that.”
Hudson-Smith (31.92) led the chase, but considering the homestretch heroics Kebinatshipi had previously exhibited all year, it seemed unlikely that anyone would challenge him.
And indeed, he finished strong to break the tape in 43.39, trimming the 43.40 NR he set at the DL Final and just missing by 0.01 the world lead set by Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi to win the NCAA title for Alabama in June. Only four men have ever run faster. No one has ever run faster in lane 7.
Benjamin, who immediately bolted off the track to prepare for his 400H semi coming up about an hour and a half later, took 2nd in 44.15. Richards (44.23) closed well for 3rd, followed by Bailey (44.27), Hudson-Smith (44.28), Patterson (44.59), Eppie (44.66) and Molnár (45.10).
“I am usually always sitting back and kicking in the last meters but today I wanted to feel what other athletes were feeling over their races, to tie up a bit in the last meters,” Kebinatshipi said. “I was really tired over the last meters but that was what I wanted to do and to feel, I wanted to leave everything here before I head back home.”
UC MEN’S 400 RESULTS
(September 12)
1. Collen Kebinatshipi (Bot) 43.39 NR (5, =5 W)
(10.61, 10.06 [20.67], 10.70 [31.37], 12.02) (20.67/22.72)
2. Rai Benjamin (US) 44.15
(11.09, 10.15 [21.24], 10.84 [32.08], 12.07) (21.24/22.91)
3. Jereem Richards (Tri) 44.23
(10.92, 10.22 [21.14], 11.06 [32.20]. 12.03) (21.14/23.09)
4. Chris Bailey (US) 44.27
(11.24, 10.30 [21.24], 10.98 [32.52], 11.75) (21.24/22.73)
5. Matthew Hudson-Smith (GB) 44.28
(10.96, 10.01 [20.97], 10.95 [31.92], 12.36) (20.97/23.31)
6. Jacory Patterson (US) 44.59
(11.18, 10.32 [21.50], 11.01 [32.51], 12.08) (21.50/23.09)
7. Lee Eppie (Bot) 44.66
(10.97, 10.38 [21.35], 11.03 [32.08], 12.28) (21.35/23.11)
8. Attila Molnár (Hun) 45.10
(11.24, 10.27 [21.51], 11.17 [32.68], 12.42) (21.51/23.59)
Heats: I–1. Kebinatshipi 44.23; 2. Bailey 44.28; 3. Benjamin 44.28; 4. Richards 44.44; 5. Christopher Morales Williams (Can) 44.98; 6. Bayapo Ndori (Bot) 45.00; 7. Muzala Samukonga (Zam) 45.51; 8. Muhammad Abdalla Kounta (Fra) 45.53; 9. Patrik Enyingi (Hun) 45.72.
II–1. Patterson 44.73; 2. Hudson-Smith 44.79; 3. Eppie 44.85; 4. Molnár 44.97; 5. Yuki Joseph Nakajima (Jpn) 45.00; 6. Jonas Phijffers (Neth) 45.21; 7. Zakithi Nene (SA) 45.30; 8. Khaleb McRae (US) 46.55.
