Former USC Star Rai Benjamin Reveals Future Plans After Winning Gold at World Championships

After dominating the global scene for the past two years, including winning Olympic gold, former USC Trojan Rai Benjamin finally conquered the final hurdle of his career, winning the 2025 World Championship in Tokyo.

Sep 17, 2025; Tokyo, Japan; Rai Benjamin (USA) after a qualifying heat for the men’s 400 meter hurdles during the World Athletics Championships at National Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Former USC Trojans sprinter Rai Benjamin conquered the last hurdle of his individual career capturing the one title he was yet to win at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. After winning multiple Diamond League titles, both individual and relay gold at the Olympics, and relay gold at previous World Championships, Benjamin finally won the 400-meter hurdle gold medal with a season’s best 46.52 time.

In a race that featured the three fastest men in the history of the event, in former Olympic and World Champion Karsten Warholm and former World Champion and Olympic medalist Alison Dos Santos, it was Benjamin who once again came out on top when it mattered most. Benjamin now holds the overall head to head against his arch rival Warholm by a tally of 4-3.

Sep 15, 2025; Tokyo, Japan; Rai Benjamin (USA) during a heat of the mens 400m hurdles during World Athletics Championships at National Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The championship victory wasn’t without drama as Benjamin was initially awarded the title, but had to been classified as disqualified after clipping the final hurdle and impeding the runner in the lane next to him. What was supposed to be a crowning moment had turned to despair. However, shortly after the initial ruling, it was determined that there was no interference  and Benjamin was rightfully reinstated as World Champion.

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What Benjamin Said:

“It feels good. Four years ago at the Olympics, it was drama. We ran so fast and I got second. The tears were flowing. To come back to this exact spot and flip the script and then have the drama again, it was crazy. Tokyo has special place for me. As much as I love it, I’m also happy I won’t be having another championship here in my career. I was just praying I didn’t get caught,” Benjamin said of finally winning World Championship gold. 

“I think my whole mentality shifted after 2023. Going into Paris, I stopped putting so much pressure on myself and just started having fun and enjoying the sport. I can’t do this for a long time, so the mentality was the just have fun. Same thing here, came out to compete. Just not taking myself too seriously,” said Benjamin of the relief of winning Olympic gold last season. 

“I was just going to win. I knew that I had to run damn near world record pace through hurdle eight. So, my goal was just to run through four. I knew I’m good now. That’s kind of been my mishap, running that back stretch and losing time, so once I did that, I knew I just had to run home and then my body was just moving too fast. It couldn’t keep up with what my mind was telling me to do,” Benjamin said of his race tactics and clipping the final hurdle. 

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@_Kingben_ claims the CROWN 👑

Olympic champion and USC alum Rai Benjamin secures GOLD at World Championships with a season best of 46.52! pic.twitter.com/mP3BiMZOFQ

— USC Track & Field / XC (@USC_Track_Field) September 19, 2025

So, what’s next for the former Trojan? Some well-deserved rest and time to rebuild with his coach, also a former USC Trojan and Olympic Gold Medalist Joanna Hayes. Benjamin also stated that he will not run any hurdle events next season, but has some fun in store as he will look to challenge four-time 200-meter World Champion and 100-meter Olympic Champion Noah Lyles in the 200 meters. 

"I told Noah [Lyles] he better watch out because I am running the 200m next year...and the 400m. That's my announcement. No hurdles next year,” Benjamin said to World Athletics reporters.

Whether that was tongue in cheek or not remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain, Benjamin has done everything there is to do as a 400-meter hurdler and now has a true claim to be considered the best to ever compete at the event. His story is far from finished, but everything from now on is just icing on the cake.