Rai Benjamin

Rai Benjamin (born July 27, 1997)[7] is an American

Rai Benjamin
hurdler and sprinter specializing in the 400 m and
400 m hurdles. He is the second fastest man in history
in the 400 m hurdles with a personal best time of
46.17 s. He won a silver medal at his first Olympic
Games in 2021 and won the 400 m hurdles race at the
2024 Summer Olympics. Benjamin also won silver
medals and at the World Championships in 2019 and
2022 in the men's 400 m hurdles, and gold medals in
the 4 × 400 m relay in 2019 and 2021.
Rai Benjamin at the 2022 World Athletics
In college, Benjamin ran for the UCLA Bruins and Championships in Eugene
then the USC Trojans, where in early 2018 he was part
Personal information
of the team that set the world best time in the indoor
4 × 400 m relay with a time of 3:00.77. At the time, his Born July 27, 1997
relay split time of 44.35 s was the fastest ever recorded Mount Vernon, New York, U.S.
in an indoor race. In June of the same year he also Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
helped set the NCAA record in the same event but Weight 77 kg (170 lb)[1]
outdoors, and ran what was at the time the second Sport
fastest 400 m hurdles race of all time in 47.02 s.
Country United States[2][3]
Sport Track and field
Early life and career Event(s) Hurdling, sprinting
College USC Trojans (2017, 2018)
Rai Benjamin, from Mount Vernon High School (New team UCLA Bruins (2016)
York), just after completing his second year
Team Nike[4]
participated at the 2013 World Youth Championships
held in Donetsk, Ukraine. He wanted to run for the Turned pro 2018[4]
USA, since he was born in New York,[8] but in Coached by Joanna Hayes[3]
Donetsk he represented Antigua and Barbuda in the Quincy Watts[3]
400 m hurdles.[9] Caryl Smith Gilbert[3]
Achievements and titles
He won the 2015 New York Indoor State meet with a
Olympic 2020 Tokyo
national-leading time of 33.17 in the 300 meters. He
was a three-time New York State Public High School finals 400 m hurdles, Silver
Athletic Association champion in the 400m hurdles. 2024 Paris
Benjamin won a silver medal in the 400 meters at the 400 m hurdles, Gold
2015 CARIFTA Games. He was the 2015 New
World finals 2019 Doha
Balance 400-meter hurdles national champion.[10] He
ran the fastest 2015 prep time in the United States in 400 m hurdles, Silver
2022 Eugene
the 400m hurdles with a time of 49.97, fastest 400 m 400 m hurdles, Silver
indoor time in the country with a 46.59 and the third 2023 Budapest
fastest outdoor time 46.19. 400 m hurdles, Bronze

In 2017, the IAAF suspended all transfers of Personal 400 m hurdles: 46.17 AR
allegiance, meaning Benjamin could not represent the bests (Tokyo 2021)
United States until transfers were reinstated in summer 400 m: 44.21 (Los Angeles
2018.[11] In October 2018, Benjamin's transfer request 2023)
was approved, allowing him to represent the United
200 m: 19.99 (Paris 2018)[5][6]
States abroad and compete in USATF Championship
100 m: 10.03 (Fort Worth 2020)
events.[2]
Indoors
At the 2018 Meeting Areva in Paris, he ran 19.99 in the 400 m: 45.39i (Staten Island
200 meters to take .65 of a second off his previous 2021)
personal best.[5][6][12] He became the 72nd person to 200 m: 20.34i NR[note 1]
break 20 seconds,[13] in what is perhaps his third best (College Station 2018)
event on the track.
Medal record
At the 2019 Mt. SAC Relays, that year at El Camino Men's athletics
College in Torrance, California, Benjamin joined his Representing the United States
training partner and previous college teammate,
Olympic Games
Michael Norman running the 400 meters. Benjamin
2020 Tokyo 4×400 m relay
ran his personal best of 44.31, the 50th best time in
history[14] behind Norman's 43.45, which turned out to 2024 Paris 400 m hurdles
be the fastest 400 run in the 2019 season and tied him 2024 Paris 4×400 m relay
as the 4th fastest of all time.[15] 2020 Tokyo 400 m hurdles
World Championships
2019 Doha 4×400 m relay
Personal life
2023 Budapest 4×400 m relay
Benjamin is the son of West Indies international and 2019 Doha 400 m hurdles
Antiguan cricketer Winston Benjamin.[8][16] 2022 Eugene 400 m hurdles
2023 Budapest 400 m hurdles
He co-hosts a podcast called "Beyond the Records"
with Noah Lyles and Grant Holloway, which launched Diamond League

in December 2024. [17] 2023 400 m hurdles

Representing Antigua and Barbuda
Benjamin is an avid cyclist, frequently cycling around
CARIFTA Games (U-20)
Los Angeles and to and from hurdling practice at
UCLA. 2015 Basseterre 400 m

Achievements
Information from World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.[7]

Personal bests

Surface Event Time Venue Date Notes

400 m North American record,
46.17 Tokyo, Japan August 3, 2021
hurdles 2nd all time

Los Angeles, United

400 m 44.21 April 8, 2023
States

Outdoor 200 m 19.99 Paris, France June 30, 2018 (−0.6 m/s wind)
Fort Worth, United
100 m 10.03 July 20, 2020 (+1.6 m/s wind)
States

4 × 400 m
2:55.70 Tokyo, Japan August 7, 2021 2021 world lead
relay

New York, United February 13,

400 m 45.39
States 2021
New York, United February 8,
300 m 32.35
States 2020
Indoor
College Station, United March 10,
200 m 20.34
States 2018 NR[note 1]

4 × 400 m College Station, United March 10,

relay
3:00.77
States 2018 World best[note 2]

International competitions

Year Competition Venue Position Event Time Notes

Representing Antigua and Barbuda

World Youth 400 m

2013 Donetsk, Ukraine 15th 52.36
Championships hurdles

CARIFTA Games Basseterre, Saint Kitts

2nd 400 m 46.19 PB
(U20) and Nevis
2015
4 × 200 m
World Relays Nassau, Bahamas – (h) DNF
relay
Representing the United States

400 m
2nd 47.66
hurdles
2019 World Championships Doha, Qatar
4 × 400 m
1st 2:56.69 WL PB
relay
400 m PB AR, 2nd
2nd 46.17
hurdles all time
2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan
4 x 400 m
1st 2:55.70 SB
relay

400 m
2022 World Championships Eugene, United States 2nd 46.89
hurdles
 400 m
3rd 47.56
hurdles
2023 World Championships Budapest, Hungary
4 x 400 m
1st 2:57.31 WL
relay

400 m
1st 46.46
hurdles
2024 Olympic Games Paris, France
4 x 400 m
1st 2:54.43 OR
relay

Circuit wins
Diamond League (400 m hurdles)
Rome: 2019
Stanford: 2019
Doha: 2021, 2023
Eugene: 2023
Monaco: 2024
World Indoor Tour
 Boston: 2019 (300 m)

National championships

Representing the UCLA Bruins (2016–2017), the USC Trojans (2018), and Nike (2019–)
Year Competition Venue Position Event Time Notes

NCAA Division I Eugene, 400 m

2016 6th 49.82 PB
Championships Oregon hurdles

400 m
2nd 48.33 PB
NCAA Division I Eugene, hurdles
2017
Championships Oregon 4 × 100 m
22nd 39.89
relay

3rd 200 m 20.34 PB

NCAA Division I Indoor College Station,
Championships Texas 4 × 400 m
1st 3:00.77 WB[note 2]
relay
2018 400 m
1st
hurdles
47.02 WL PB CR[8]
NCAA Division I Eugene,
Championships Oregon 4 × 400 m
1st 2:59.00 PB CR
relay

Des Moines, 400 m

2019 USATF Championships 1st 47.23
Iowa hurdles
Eugene, 400 m WL PB MR, 3rd
2021 U.S. Olympic Trials 1st 46.83
Oregon hurdles all time

Eugene, 400 m
2022 USATF Championships 1st 47.04
Oregon hurdles

Eugene, 400 m
2023 USATF Championships 1st 46.62
Oregon hurdles
Eugene, 400 m
2024 U.S. Olympic Trials 1st 46.46 WL MR
Oregon hurdles
 NCAA results from Track & Field Results Reporting System.[19][20]

Seasonal bests

Year 400 m hurdles 400 m 200 m

2013 53.95 49.55 22.38

2014 51.86 47.17 20.88

2015 49.97 46.19 21.09

2016 49.82 47.57 21.17

2017 48.33 45.72 20.64

2018 47.02 44.74 19.99

2019 46.98 44.31 —

2020 —

2021 46.17 44.97 20.16

2022 46.89 — 20.01

2023 46.39 44.21 —

2024 46.64 44.42 —

College career
Benjamin is a three-time NCAA Division I track champion. As a college student-athlete, Benjamin earned
three Pac-12 conference titles, one Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title, and eight NCAA Division I
All-America honors (five outdoor, three indoor).

Benjamin's All-America honors were for these accomplishments:

2016 indoor, as part of a seventh-place team finish in the indoors distance medley relay,
with a time of 9:34.9.
2016 outdoor, for a sixth-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles in 49.82.
2017 outdoor, for a second-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles in 48.33, and as part of a
team finish of 39.89 in the 4x100m relay.
2018 indoor, for a third-place finish in the 200m, and as part of a team that set a college
indoor track record of 3:00.77 in the 4x400m relay.
2018 outdoor, as part of a team that won the 4x400m relay in 2:59.00, and for a college
record time of 47.02 in the 400m hurdles. His time equalled Edwin Moses's for the second
fastest time in history.
 Mountain Pacific Sports Pac-12 NCAA Division I
NCAA
Year Federation Conference Outdoor track and
Indoor
Indoor track and field Outdoor field

Representing the University of Southern California[21][22]

200 m 3rd 400 m hurdles 1st 400 m hurdles 1st
20.34 48.46 47.02 CR
2018 4 x 400 m relay
400 m 1st 4 x 100 m relay 1st 4 x 400 m relay 1st
1st
45.94 39.38 2:59.00
3:00.77 CR
4 x 400 m relay 5th 4 x 400 m relay 4th 4 x 100 m relay 22nd
3:12.50 3:09.39 39.89

400 6th 400 m hurdles 1st 400 m hurdles 2nd

2017
47.06 49.52 48.33

200 m 3rd
21.09

Representing the University of California, Los Angeles[23][24]

400 m 7th 400 m hurdles 400 m hurdles 6th
47.57 52.21 49.82
2016
DMR 7th 4 x 100 m relay 4th
9:34.39 40.22

Notes
1. For Antigua and Barbuda
2. Shared with Zach Shinnick, Ricky Morgan, and Michael Norman for the USC Trojans.
Because Rai Benjamin was not cleared to represent the United States with his American
teammates until after the race, the time was not recognized by the World Athletics as the
official world record.[18]

References
1. "Rai Benjamin" (https://www.eurosport.com/athletics/rai-benjamin_prs510040/person.shtml).
eurosport.com. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
2. Sully, Kevin (October 4, 2018). "Rai Benjamin Cleared To Compete for the US" (https://www.
milesplit.com/articles/249008/rai-benjamin-cleared-to-compete-for-the-us). milesplit.com.
FloSports, Inc. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
3. Lindstrom, Sieg (January 19, 2019). "New Flag, New Beginning for Rai Benjamin" (https://tr
ackandfieldnews.com/new-flag-new-beginning-for-rai-benjamin/). trackandfieldnews.com.
Track & Field News. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
4. Sully, Kevin (June 14, 2018). "Rai Benjamin is Now a Nike Athlete" (https://www.flotrack.org/
articles/6213487-rai-benjamin-is-now-a-nike-athlete). flotrack.org. FloSports, Inc. Retrieved
January 24, 2019.
5. Rowbottom, Mike (July 1, 2018). "Norman and Benjamin the latest starts to shine in the
IAAF Diamond League" (https://www.iaaf.org/news/feature/michael-norman-rai-benjamin-dia
mond-league). iaaf.org. IAAF. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
 6. Zaccardi, Nick (June 30, 2018). "Abderrahman Samba runs second-fastest 400m hurdles
ever (video)" (https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/06/30/abderrahman-samba-400-hurdles-
video-paris-diamond-league/). nbcsports.com. NBC. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
7. "Rai BENJAMIN – Athlete Profile" (https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/rai-b
enjamin-14574865). World Athletics. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
8. Burke, Timothy (June 8, 2018). "Rai Benjamin Runs 47.02 400m Hurdles, Tied For Second-
Fastest in Human History" (https://screengrabber.deadspin.com/rai-benjamin-runs-47-02-40
0m-hurdles-tied-for-second-f-1826687780). deadspin.com. Deadspin. Retrieved January 24,
2019.
9. "400m hurdles (84.0 cm) Boys semi-final results" (https://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-worl
d-u18-championships/8th-iaaf-world-youth-championships-4874/men/400m-hurdles-840cm/
semi-final/summary).
10. track ucla mount vernon rai benjamin (https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/high-school/track/
2015/07/02/track-ucla-mount-vernon-rai-benjamin-hurdles/29594771/)
11. "Transfer of Allegiance" (https://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/documents/transfer-of-allegiance).
12. "2018 Paris Diamond League 200 m" (https://web.archive.org/web/20180702093620/https://
paris.diamondleague.com/en/programme-results/programme-2018-results/#baseFrame).
Archived from the original (https://paris.diamondleague.com/en/programme-results/program
me-2018-results/#baseFrame) on July 2, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
13. "200 Metres - men - senior - outdoor" (https://www.worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplist
s/sprints/200-metres/outdoor/men/senior?regionType=world&timing=electronic&windReadin
g=regular&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true&firstDay=1899-12-31&lastDay=2018-07-01).
14. "400 Metres - men - senior - outdoor" (https://www.worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplist
s/sprints/400-metres/outdoor/men/senior?regionType=world&timing=electronic&page=1&be
stResultsOnly=true&firstDay=1899-12-31&lastDay=2019-05-01).
15. "400 Metres - men - senior - outdoor" (https://www.worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplist
s/sprints/400-metres/outdoor/men/senior?regionType=world&timing=electronic&page=1&be
stResultsOnly=true&firstDay=1899-12-31&lastDay=2020-03-07).
16. Levy, Leighton (October 4, 2018). "Antiguan star athlete Rai Benjamin switches allegiance
to USA" (https://web.archive.org/web/20191017090952/https://www.sportsmax.tv/index.php/
athletics/item/20037-antiguan-star-athlete-switches-allegiance-to-usa). sportsmax.tv.
SportsMaxTV. Archived from the original (https://www.sportsmax.tv/index.php/athletics/item/
20037-antiguan-star-athlete-switches-allegiance-to-usa) on October 17, 2019. Retrieved
January 23, 2019.
17. "Beyond The Records Podcast" (https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtherecordspodcast).
YouTube. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
18. Joe Fleming (March 12, 2018). "World, collegiate records highlight NCAA indoor track and
field championships" (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2018/03/10/world-colle
giate-records-highlight-ncaa-indoor-track-and-field-championships/414025002/).
usatoday.com. USA Today. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
19. "RAI BENJAMIN UCLA" (https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/5640101). tfrrs.org. Track & Field
Results Reporting System. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
20. "RAI BENJAMIN USC" (https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/6597043). tfrrs.org. Track & Field
Results Reporting System. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
21. "Rai Benjamin at USC" (https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/6597043/USC/Rai_Benjamin.html).
Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS). Retrieved June 30, 2018.
22. Rai Benjamin USC profile (https://usctrojans.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7256) University of
Southern California. June 30, 2018
23. Rai Benjamin UCLA track results (https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/5640101/UCLA/Rai_Benjami
n.html) TFRRS. June 30, 2018
24. Rai Benjamin UCLA profile (http://uclabruins.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5163) University of
California Los Angeles. June 30, 2018

External links
Rai Benjamin (https://worldathletics.org/athletes/-/14574865) at World Athletics
Rai Benjamin (https://usctrojans.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7256) at USC Trojans
Rai Benjamin (https://uclabruins.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5163) at UCLA Bruins
Rai Benjamin (https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/rai-benjamin) at www.USATF.org
Rai Benjamin (https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/rai-benjamin-1140303) at Team USA
(archive March 18, 2023 (https://web.archive.org/web/20230318145833/https://www.teamus
a.org/Athletes/BE/Rai-Benjamin))
Rai Benjamin (https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/147346) at Olympedia (archive (https://w
eb.archive.org/web/20231231000000/https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/147346))
Rai Benjamin (https://olympics.com/en/athletes/rai-benjamin) at Olympics.com
Rai Benjamin (https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/rai-benjamin_1960684) at the
Paris 2024 Summer Olympics

Videos
Michael Norman and Rai Benjamin at Mt SAC Relays 2019 (https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=GFsiofA10HE) via MyStyle Records on YouTube
Michael Norman 19.84 Wins Men's 200m – IAAF Diamond League Paris 2018 (https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=FqknTI_2TW4) via IAAF Diamond League on YouTube (Rai
Benjamin 2nd in 19.99)

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