Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Botswana's Collen Kebinatshipi has emerged as the leading contender in the men’s 400m at the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest. He has established himself as the dominant athlete of the season after winning world titles in the 400m and 4x400m relays in Tokyo and securing the Diamond League championship, during which he broke the Diamond League record three times. His latest record, a 43.40 run in Brussels, set a national record and ranked him joint fifth on the world all-time list. Kebinatshipi is the only man to have broken 44 seconds five times in one year, and he holds four of the five fastest times recorded this season. He now aims to surpass the world-leading time of 43.38 set by Samuel Ogazi at the NCAA Championships in June and improve his back straight performance in Budapest to reach that goal.
Joining Kebinatshipi in the competition are Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards, the world 200m bronze medallist from 2017, who recently set a new national record after finishing second to Kebinatshipi in the Diamond League final with a time of 43.68 seconds. Richards continues to focus on the 400m and is expected to be a strong competitor in Budapest.
Also in contention is Rai Benjamin of the United States, the Olympic and world 400m hurdles champion, who has shifted his focus to the 400m flat event for the 2026 season. Benjamin plans to compete in both the 400m and the 400m hurdles during the championship. His personal best in the 400m is 43.83 seconds, achieved while finishing second to Kebinatshipi in a Diamond League meeting in Silesia, where he also competed against Zakithi Nene and Jacory Patterson.
The men’s 400m semifinals are scheduled for Friday, 11 September at 19:19, with the final taking place on Saturday, 12 September at 18:18 in Budapest.