Dos Santos: ‘We’re Far From Our Limit’ After Record-Breaking Season

Alison dos Santos believes he can run even faster after producing the most impressive season of his career, capped by a world record and victory at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.

The Brazilian 400m hurdles star lowered the world record to 45.80 in Zurich last month, breaking Karsten Warholm’s five-year-old mark of 45.94, before winning the Ultimate Championship in Budapest in 45.98, the third-fastest performance in history.

Asked how close his world record is to his limit, Dos Santos was emphatic.

‘We’re far from our limit,’ he told World Athletics. ‘The time that I run and say, ‘This is my limit,’ you’re not going to see me next season.’

The 26-year-old added: ‘I’m excited to be able to run 45.8 now, but I’m looking forward to running 45.6, 45.4. I can’t give you a number, but I know it can be faster.’

Dos Santos believes his improvement has been driven by greater speed, strength and physical maturity, while maintaining the same basic stride pattern he has used in recent years.

‘I got faster, I got stronger, I’ve been getting more mature too. The body needs to evolve,’ he said.

His remarkable 2026 campaign included seven Diamond League victories from seven races and a new personal best of 44.38 in the flat 400m. He also won the Brazilian national titles in both the 400m and 400m hurdles.

The Brazilian also believes the extraordinary rivalry involving himself, Warholm and Rai Benjamin deserves greater appreciation.

‘When it’s the three of us running, it’s always amazing,’ he said. ‘It was me, Karsten and Rai fighting to the last hurdle and this is something that needs to be appreciated more, in my opinion.’

Dos Santos urged observers not to lose sight of how exceptional the times being produced in the event are simply because the three rivals have repeatedly pushed each other to unprecedented levels.

His Zurich world record was a moment his coach Felipe de Siqueira had believed was possible after years of work together.

‘I knew I was able to break the world record,’ Dos Santos said. ‘I knew I was able to run 45 and deliver. But … you can’t plan the world record. You need to be able to have the perfect time, good track, perfect shape.’