Olympic Champion Rai Benjamin Runs Historic Time, Defeats Rivals At Stockholm Meet

Three-time Olympic gold medalist, 400-meter hurdle star Rai Benjamin ran a dazzling time of 46.54 to break the meet record in Stockholm and also clocked the 10th fastest 400-meter hurdle time in world history. The former USC Trojans national champion and All-American beat out his rivals, Alison Dos Santos and Karsten Warholm, who finished second and third respectively. Dos Santos’s 46.88 was the 15th fastest time in world history.

The accomplished trio, led by Benjamin the last two seasons, now occupy the top-20 timed spots of all time on the 400-meter hurdles list. Benjamin and Warholm each hold eight of the top-20 times, and Dos Santos owning the remaining four spots. Benjamin avenged his 300-meter defeat to Warholm in his return to the track in Oslo, Norway, on the Diamond League circuit earlier this week.

Aug 10, 2024; Saint-Denis, FRANCE; Gold medalist Rai Benjamin (USA), silver medalist Karsten Warholm (NOR), and bronze medalist Alison Dos Santos (BRA) during the medal ceremony for the men's 400m hurdles during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“It’s my season opener. Just wanted to see where I was at. I opened today faster than I did the Olympic year. I think all signs are good. The race was pretty good, the crowd was engaging, I just wanted to be a little more patient than I was in Oslo. I wanted to run a smart race today and execute my gameplan. It’s major. It’s fun. Everyone loves it. Karsten got the win at home. I got the win here. I’m really happy about the repairs from this meet,” Benjamin said after the Stockholm Diamond League meet.

For a feel-out race, Benjamin looks to be in the best shape of his career. A 46.54 at this time of the year is remarkable, but for it to have been the first 400-meter hurdle race Benjamin’s run in almost a calendar year is even more impressive. Add in the fact that just three days prior, he and the other two of the big three ran in a historically fast 300-meter hurdle race, and you begin to truly appreciate what’s being put on display.

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“I feel good. I feel strong. I feel fast as hell, but that’s finish I have to work on a little bit and it’ll come as the season goes on. I haven’t run outdoors since the Olympics, so it’s probably a month shy of a full year, so I’m happy with it. I’m healthy and we’re on to Stockholm next,” Benjamin said after finishing second in the 300-meter hurdle showdown earlier this week.

“New spikes, ‘Rai Fly 2’s,' I have some more stuff coming as well. So, stay tuned! In a couple of weeks, I have some more heat for you guys,” Benjamin said of his new Nike track spikes he helped co-design with the company.

Benjamin has repeated that one of his major goals from now until the next Olympics is to increase his international profile. His podcast, alongside fellow gold medalists Noah Lyles and Grant Holloway, will help that journey, but his work with Nike could be the biggest factor in becoming a more household name worldwide. Above all, continue to run blistering times like he did against elite competition today.

Aug 7, 2024; Paris Saint-Denis, France; Rai Benjamin (USA) competes in a menís 400m hurdles semifinal during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles-Imagn Images | Andrew Nelles-Imagn Images

"I always say this is not the UFC. We are not fighting each other," Benjamin said in the press conference featuring all three athletes. "What’s the point of having unnecessary beef? We leave that to the 100m sprinters; they’ve got that on lock right now."

There’s no personal beef, but there’s no questioning that the competition with each other has inherently pushed the group to achieve more success. Every time they lace up their spikes and step onto the track against each other, it’s not simply a race between rivals; it’s a race for history. With Benjamin being just 27 years old, he could see himself rack up the most accolades between the three, but he’ll have to reach heights no other man in history has.

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