Rai Benjamin

Benjamin of Mount Vernon High School in New York set the quickest 2015 prep time in the 400m hurdles in 49.97 seconds, the fastest 400 m indoor time in the USA in 46.59 seconds, and the third fastest outdoor time in 46.19 seconds. With a 300 meter time of 33.17, Benjamin established the national record and won the 2015 New York Indoor State competition. He won the 400m hurdles three times as a member of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association. He claimed both the indoor and outdoor national championships for the New Balance 400-meter hurdles in 2015.

He represented Antigua & Barbuda at the 2013 World Youth Championships just after finishing his second year. In the 400 meters at the 2015 CARIFTA Games, he took home a silver medal just a few months after receiving his graduation. Since he was born in New York, Benjamin wanted to compete for the USA. However, at the 2013 World Youth Athletics Championships, he ran in the 400-meter hurdles for Antigua. The IAAF halted all transfers of allegiance in 2017, therefore Benjamin was unable to compete for the United States until the suspension was lifted in the summer of 2018. Benjamin was able to represent the United States overseas and participate in USATF Championship competitions after his transfer request was approved in October 2018.

He raced 19.99 in the 200 meters to win at the 2018 Meeting Areva in Paris. He improved by 65th of a second on his previous personal best. He broke the 20-second barrier for the 72nd time, in what was possibly his third-best performance on the track. Benjamin competed the 400 meters alongside Michael Norman, a former collegiate teammate, at the 2019 Mt. SAC Relays that year at El Camino College in Torrance, California. Benjamin ran a personal best of 44.31, the 50th greatest time in history, trailing only Norman’s 43.45, which was the fastest 400 run of the 2019 season and tied him for fourth fastest all time.

Benjamin has three NCAA Division I track and field titles. Benjamin won three Pac-12 conference championships, one Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship, and eight NCAA Division I All-America awards as a college student-athlete (five outdoor, three indoor). In 2019, he made his professional senior debut in the 400m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships in which he claimed the silver medal. He played an instrumental role as a part of the the US relay team that won the 4x400m World Championship. In the Diamond League in 2019, he won twice in the 400-meter hurdles circuit. In the 4 X 400 m relay and 400 m hurdles events at the Summer Olympics 2020 in Tokyo, Rai went on to win silver medals.

His greatest rival presently is Karsten Warholm, the Norwegian reigning world champion and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist in the 400-meter hurdles. He is also the world record holder in the 400m hurdles with a timing of 45.94 secs, set at the Tokyo 2020.

Rai Benjamin was born in Mount Vernon, New York, on July 27, 1997. His mother’s name is Jeanette Mason, and his father’s name is Winston Benjamin. Benjamin’s father played cricket for the West Indies in 21 Test matches and 85 One Day Internationals for Antigua. Benjamin wanted to play cricket like his father Winston, who was a fast bowler for the Windies. In Antigua, Benjamin played soccer, but then switched to American football, leading to a career in track and field. Despite becoming a professional, Benjamin opted to continue his education at the University of Southern California to complete his political science degree. Rai claimed that his mother inspired him to seek a college education and obtain the degree.