Olympic 400m hurdles champion Rai Benjamin has built his career on precision, patience, and a refusal to overextend himself. Unlike many elite athletes who compete frequently to stay sharp, Benjamin takes a different route.
His 2025 season has been a testament to this approach. Aside from a surprise 300m victory in Boston on February 2, Benjamin has stayed off the track, waiting for the right moments to strike.
On Thursday June 12, he’ll make his outdoor season debut at the Oslo Bislett Games in a loaded 300m hurdles race against rivals Karsten Warholm and Alison dos Santos. Three days later, the trio will clash again in a 400m hurdles showdown in Stockholm.
For Benjamin, these races are strategic steps toward long-term dominance.
The Philosophy That Drives Him
“Quality over quantity” defines Rai Benjamin’s professional athletics career.
“That’s just always been a philosophy of mine,” Benjamin told World Athletics.
“And I think it’s a good philosophy for anyone to have.”
Benjamin has battled injuries throughout his career, and his coaches, Joanna Hayes and Quincy Watts, emphasize smart scheduling to keep him healthy.
“He’s a very smart guy, so he knows his body, and we try to make good choices to keep him healthy,” says Hayes, the 2004 Olympic 100m hurdles champion.
“He’s had a lot of injuries in the past, so the races that he runs all have to make sense.”
Even his lone 2025 race so far, the indoor 300m in Boston, was a last-minute decision. Initially in town for his podcast, Beyond the Records, Benjamin was convinced by his agent to compete.
He called fellow sprinter Vernon Norwood to switch events so they could race head-to-head. Both ran personal bests (Benjamin in 32.21, Norwood in 32.39), proving that even in an unplanned effort, Benjamin’s quality shines through.
“I told Coach Hayes: ‘I’m not even going to try and press it—it makes no sense to run so fast this early in the year,’” Benjamin recalls.
More Than Just a Runner
Benjamin’s selective approach extends beyond the track. His podcast, co-hosted with Olympic champions Noah Lyles and Grant Holloway, allows him to explore interests outside athletics.
“I don’t think there’s been a series where the athletes themselves have had a platform to voice their thoughts and opinions,” Benjamin says.
“We teach them about track, and they teach us about their respective fields.”
With eight episodes released in early 2025, the same number of 400m hurdles races he ran in all of 2024, Benjamin is balancing his athletic career with personal branding, especially with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon.
Reflecting on 2024
Benjamin’s 2024 season was a masterclass in efficiency. After a modest start, 44.42 in a flat 400m in April, he steadily built momentum, peaking when it mattered most.
At the US Olympic Trials, he ran 46.46 to secure his spot. Then, in his only Diamond League appearance of the year, he edged Warholm (46.67 to 46.73) in Monaco, a preview of what was to come in Paris.
At the Olympics, despite a misstep at the eighth hurdle and an awkward approach to the tenth, Benjamin dominated, winning in 46.46. Warholm (47.06) and Dos Santos (47.26) couldn’t match his composure.
“I had so much momentum coming off the turn that it threw me off a bit,” Benjamin admits.
“But coming off the turn with too much speed is a good problem to have.”
That victory was especially sweet after years of near-misses: silver behind Warholm at the 2019 Worlds and Tokyo Olympics, where he ran a staggering 46.17, the North American record, silver behind Dos Santos in 2022, and bronze in 2023.
“I got the monkey off my back,” Benjamin says of his Olympic triumph.
“That’s the one that everyone really wants.”
What Next?
Now, with Olympic gold secured, Benjamin is eyeing new challenges, including a potential world record.
“I just want to finally PR,” he says.
“Because I haven’t got a PR since 2021. It would lower the American record and possibly break the world record.”
His upcoming races in Oslo and Stockholm will test his readiness. Warholm leads their head-to-head matchups 5-4, but in finals, they’re tied 4-4.
“I know on any given day, any one of three or four guys can run 46, and 46 low,” Benjamin says.
Beyond the track, he remains grounded, prioritizing health and longevity.
“From a health perspective, just running a lot of meets can sometimes wear you out,” he explains.
“It doesn’t take very long for me to be ready for a championship. Once I’m healthy, that’s the focus, so we pick and choose.”
With his eyes set on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Benjamin’s selective approach may just secure him another historic achievement.
