American sprinter Rai Benjamin announces plan to switch to new races
.jpg)
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 20.09.25. | 14:44
The 200m-400m double is one of the rarest feats in Olympic history, last achieved by Michael Johnson at the 1996 Atlanta Games
World and Olympic 400m hurdles champion Rai Benjamin has confirmed he will shift his focus in 2026, announcing his ambitious plan to contest both the 200m and 400m at the Los Angeles Olympics.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news
“I told Noah he better watch out because I am running the 200m next year, and the 400m. That’s my announcement,” Benjamin issued a direct challenge to American sprint king Noah Lyles.
The 28-year-old intends to cut down on hurdles races in the upcoming season, instead channelling his energy into the flat sprints as he looks to etch his name in history with a rare Olympic double.
Benjamin’s announcement comes hot on the heels of his dramatic gold medal triumph at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he finally completed his set of global medals in the men’s 400m hurdles.
He powered to a season’s best of 46.52 seconds, defeating Brazil’s 2022 world champion Alison dos Santos and Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba.
The victory seemed straightforward on the track, but what followed turned into a tense saga.
Exhausted, Benjamin clipped the final hurdle, sending it wobbling into the lane next to him. That barrier was meant for Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel, and officials judged the interference enough to disqualify the American after the race.
News of the decision reached Benjamin just 20 minutes after his triumph, while he was still celebrating and posing for photos with teammate Jasmine Jones, who had claimed silver in the women’s 400m hurdles.
His joy was cut short, and the golden crown figuratively placed on his head was abruptly taken away.
But in a dramatic twist, Team USA appealed, arguing successfully that Benjamin’s contact with the hurdle was incidental and had not impeded Nathaniel’s race.
Within 10 minutes, the decision was overturned, and Benjamin was reinstated as world champion.
With his hurdles legacy secure, Benjamin is looking to expand his dominance to the flat sprints.
The 200m-400m double is one of the rarest feats in Olympic history, last achieved by Michael Johnson at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
.jpg)
