Sept. 19 (UPI) -- American Rai Benjamin clipped a hurdle and was briefly disqualified, but was eventually reinstated as a first-time 400-meter hurdles world champion Friday in Tokyo.

Benjamin battled Norway's Karsten Warholm, the world-record holder (45.94), throughout the beginning stages of the World Athletics Championships event at Japan National Stadium.

"I'm happy I came out here and got the job done, finally," he said on the NBC Sports broadcast. "I got another major championship individually under my belt. I can sleep well tonight.

Warholm slammed into the slammed into the third hurdle, but was even with Benjamin on the seventh. The American then dug for a final surge out of Lane 7, creating space in front of the Norwegian.

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