Rai Benjamin facts for kids
Rai Benjamin at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene
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| Born | July 27, 1997 Mount Vernon, New York, U.S. |
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| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 77 kg (170 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Hurdling, sprinting | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | USC Trojans (2017, 2018) UCLA Bruins (2016) |
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| Team | Nike | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Joanna Hayes Quincy Watts Caryl Smith Gilbert |
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| World finals |
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| Olympic finals |
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| Personal best(s) |
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Medal record
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Silver
Bronze
Gold
Rai Benjamin (born July 27, 1997) is an American hurdler and sprinter. He is famous for running the 400 m hurdles and the 400 m races. Rai is the second fastest person ever in the 400 m hurdles, with a best time of 46.17 seconds.
He won a silver medal at his first Olympic Games in 2021. Later, he won a gold medal in the 400 m hurdles at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Rai also earned silver medals at the World Championships in 2019 and 2022. He won gold medals in the 4 × 400 m relay in 2019 and 2023.
While in college, Rai ran for the UCLA Bruins and then the USC Trojans. In 2018, his team set a world record in the indoor 4 × 400 m relay. His part of the relay was the fastest ever recorded indoors at that time. He also helped set a college record outdoors in the same event. He ran what was then the second fastest 400 m hurdles race ever.
Contents
Early Life and Track Journey
Rai Benjamin grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. After his second year of high school, he competed at the 2013 World Youth Championships in Athletics in Ukraine. Even though he was born in New York, he first represented Antigua and Barbuda in the 400 m hurdles.
He won the 2015 New York Indoor State meet. He set a national-leading time of 33.17 seconds in the 300 meters. Rai was a three-time state champion in the 400m hurdles in high school. He also won a silver medal in the 400 meters at the 2015 CARIFTA Games.
In 2015, he was the national champion in the 400-meter hurdles. He ran the fastest high school time in the U.S. for the 400m hurdles that year. He also had the fastest indoor 400m time and the third fastest outdoor time.
In 2017, there was a rule change that stopped athletes from switching countries. This meant Rai could not represent the United States right away. In October 2018, his request to represent the U.S. was approved. This allowed him to compete for the United States in international events.
In 2018, at a competition in Paris, he ran the 200 meters in 19.99 seconds. This was a huge improvement for him. He became one of only 72 people to run the 200 meters in under 20 seconds.
In 2019, Rai ran the 400 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays. He achieved his personal best time of 44.31 seconds. This was the 50th best time in history for that event.
Rai Benjamin's Personal Life
Rai Benjamin's father is Winston Benjamin. Winston was a famous cricket player for the West Indies cricket team.
Rai also co-hosts a podcast called "Beyond the Records." He started it in December 2024 with fellow athletes Noah Lyles and Grant Holloway.
He enjoys cycling a lot. Rai often rides his bike around Los Angeles. He even cycles to and from his hurdling practice at UCLA.
Amazing Achievements and Records
Rai Benjamin has achieved many great things in his career. He holds several impressive records and has won many medals.
Key Personal Best Times
Rai has set some incredible personal bests:
- 400 m hurdles: 46.17 seconds. This is the North American record and the second fastest time ever. He achieved this in Tokyo in 2021.
- 400 m: 44.21 seconds. He ran this in Los Angeles in 2023.
- 200 m: 19.99 seconds. He achieved this in Paris in 2018.
- 100 m: 10.03 seconds. He ran this in Fort Worth in 2020.
- Indoor 200 m: 20.34 seconds. This is the Antiguan and Barbudan national record.
International Competitions and Medals
Rai has won many medals representing both Antigua and Barbuda and the United States.
- Representing Antigua and Barbuda:
- 2015 CARIFTA Games (U20): Silver medal in the 400 m.
- Representing the United States:
- 2019 World Championships (Doha): Silver medal in 400 m hurdles, Gold medal in 4 × 400 m relay.
- 2020 Olympic Games (Tokyo, held in 2021): Silver medal in 400 m hurdles, Gold medal in 4 × 400 m relay.
- 2022 World Championships (Eugene): Silver medal in 400 m hurdles.
- 2023 World Championships (Budapest): Bronze medal in 400 m hurdles, Gold medal in 4 × 400 m relay.
- 2024 Olympic Games (Paris): Gold medal in 400 m hurdles, Gold medal in 4 × 400 m relay.
Major Wins and Championships
Rai has won several important races and championships:
- Diamond League (400 m hurdles): He won races in Rome (2019), Stanford (2019), Doha (2021, 2023), Eugene (2023), and Monaco (2024).
- World Indoor Tour: He won the 300 m race in Boston in 2019.
National and College Championships
Rai has also been very successful in national and college competitions:
- NCAA Division I Championships:
- 2018 Indoor: 3rd in 200 m, 1st in 4 × 400 m relay (setting a world best time).
- 2018 Outdoor: 1st in 400 m hurdles (setting a college record), 1st in 4 × 400 m relay (setting a college record).
- USATF Championships:
- 2019: 1st in 400 m hurdles.
- 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials: 1st in 400 m hurdles (setting a meet record).
- 2022: 1st in 400 m hurdles.
- 2023: 1st in 400 m hurdles.
- 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials: 1st in 400 m hurdles (setting a meet record).
College Track and Field Career
Rai Benjamin was a three-time NCAA Division I track champion. During his college years, he won three Pac-12 titles. He also earned one Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title.
He received eight NCAA Division I All-America honors. Five of these were for outdoor events and three for indoor events.
Here are some of his All-America achievements:
- 2016 Indoor: His team finished seventh in the distance medley relay.
- 2016 Outdoor: He finished sixth in the 400-meter hurdles.
- 2017 Outdoor: He placed second in the 400-meter hurdles. His team also competed in the 4x100m relay.
- 2018 Indoor: He finished third in the 200m. His team set a college indoor track record in the 4x400m relay.
- 2018 Outdoor: His team won the 4x400m relay. He also set a college record time in the 400m hurdles. His time in the 400m hurdles was as fast as Edwin Moses's, making it the second fastest time in history at that point.
See also
In Spanish: Rai Benjamin para niños
