Jasmine Jones won the Budapest 400m hurdles title in 52.45 seconds on September 13, 2026. The American claimed her first major international title at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalova finished second in 52.68, ahead of Anna Cockrell in 53.09. Meanwhile, Dalilah Muhammad ended her career with fourth place, just two hundredths of a second behind Cockrell.
The final brought two important moments together: a breakthrough win for Jones and a farewell for a former world record-holder.
Jasmine Jones’ Budapest Victory: The Results
| Place | Athlete | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jasmine Jones, USA | 52.45 |
| 2 | Emma Zapletalova, Slovakia | 52.68 |
| 3 | Anna Cockrell, USA | 53.09 |
| 4 | Dalilah Muhammad, USA | 53.11 |
| 5 | Sanique Walker, Jamaica | 53.61 |
| 6 | Paulien Couckuyt, Belgium | 53.88 |
| 7 | Gianna Woodruff, Panama | 53.89 |
| 8 | Rushell Clayton, Jamaica | 54.32 |
Times are in seconds. The World Athletics race report confirms the leading results and Muhammad’s farewell. FloTrack’s final-race report lists all eight finishers.
How Jones Took Control of the Final
Cockrell led through the first half of the race. Jones and Zapletalova stayed in the chase as the runners moved toward the final straight.
Then Jones carried her speed into the closing section and moved ahead. Zapletalova also passed Cockrell, but she could not catch the new leader.
Jones crossed the line 0.23 seconds clear. Her winning time was her fastest of the season, improving on the 52.77 she had run in the semifinal.
A strong finish after a mixed season
Before Budapest, Jones had won only one 400m hurdles race in 2026. That win came at the same stadium, where she ran 52.91 at the Istvan Gyulai Memorial.
She had also come close at earlier major events. Jones finished just outside the medals at the 2024 Olympics and took silver at the 2025 World Championships.
Therefore, the Budapest result marked a new step. She turned her earlier near misses into a major international victory.
Dalilah Muhammad Runs Her Final Race
Muhammad’s 53.11 was her best time of the season. It left her only 0.02 seconds outside the top three in the last race of her career.
That small gap shows how close the battle for third place was. A hundredth of a second is one of 100 equal parts of a second.
Muhammad won the Olympic 400m hurdles title in 2016 and the world title in 2019. She also held the world record, helping raise the standard in the event.
After the final, she reflected on her achievements and expressed gratitude for her career. Jones also spoke about the inspiration she had drawn from Muhammad while growing up in the sport.
Two Stories From One Budapest Final
Jasmine Jones’ Budapest win was about timing her best performance for a major final. She improved from the semifinal and finished faster than everyone else when the title was at stake.
For Muhammad, the race closed a career that included Olympic gold, world gold and a world record. She remained close to the podium right to the end.
The race also rewarded Zapletalova’s strong season with second place. Cockrell held on for third, making it two Americans in the top three.
Explore our women’s track and field coverage for more results, athlete stories and guides to the sport.
Featured image: Jasmine Jones after the world 400m hurdles final on September 19, 2025. Photo: Filip Bossuyt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Cropped source, resized. Both images predate the Budapest final.
