USC Pals Michael Norman, Rai Benjamin Thrill Mt. SAC Relays Fans — Not Selves

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego

April 17, 2023

Rai Benjamin shook his head in disgust despite running the fastest 400-meter hurdles time in the world.

Nike teammate Michael Norman, commenting on his own event, the 100, said: “Just from start to end, it wasn’t a good race.”

Fans of the former USC teammates — Norman the 2023 world champ in the 400-meter dash and Benjamin the silver medalist at two global meets — were delighted to see them in action Saturday at the 63rd Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut. (See results here.)

But as professionals, Benjamin and Norman hone to higher standards.

After flicking off his adhesive hip numbers, American record-holder Benjamin brushed off his one-lap hurdle competition in a global-leading 47.74 seconds — a meet record that would have been a world record as recently as July 1976.

But Benjamin interrupted his 13-steps-between-hurdles pattern once on the homestretch (an awkward 14-stepper) and eased off in the last 10 meters. He’d been shooting for a much better mark.

“I’m working on a new technique,” said the 25-year-old, who crushed the meet record of 48.49 by Britain’s Chris Rawlinson in 2002. “Didn’t happen today.”

His aim is to run 12 steps between the 36-inch barriers on the backstretch, he told Times of San Diego.

“I could have done it today, but I just didn’t want to take that risk. If it came, it came. … It can be done. It’s just a matter of when. … I’m all right with the time today.”

Yet he confessed to have “coasted.”

“I could have ran faster, but it’s so early,” said Benjamin, whose best of 46.17 was at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics (behind Karsten Warholm’s shocking world record of 45.94).

By taking 12 steps between hurdles (38.3 yards apart), he’d be making monster strides of more than 8 feet, 9 inches each — accomplished rarely.

One who did it for four hurdles was Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos, who beat Benjamin at last year’s world championships in Eugene, Oregon. (Others include former world record holders Edwin Moses and Kevin Young.)

Norman, also 25, took baby steps Saturday as he pursues his new career as a “short” sprinter.

After a long warmdown and hour massage, Norman stood outside the USC tent and described his season debut at 100.

He said he didn’t have any expectations, but just wanted to execute his race, witnessed by Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics (but introduced as leader of IAAF, the former name).

“But I think that it kind of went out the window,” he said after taking third behind former North Carolina State star Cravont Charleston (clocking a superb 9.87-second time with an illegal aiding wind of 6.7 mph) and Kyree King (9.98) of nearby Ontario.

Former Vista Murrieta prep star Benjamin, whose 100 best is 9.86, ran 10.02.

(Meet organizers had promoted the presence of 2019 world 100-meter champion Christian Coleman, but he was a no-show. Instead, he was at his own high school meet in Atlanta.)

“I guess we’re using this race as kind of like a benchmark to see where I am,” Norman said after a quick Subway sandwich snack. “And now it’s just all about like, breaking down the race and making improvements so I can set myself up to be successful later down the road.”

His brutal self-critique: “I thought it was just terrible. But the race was just bad. I mean, there’s like, no excuse to it. … So I think it’s like first-race rust, and I think we’ll just kind of work from there.”

He said he started his season a little later than he wanted to, but will “aim for progress right now.”

Next up: a 200-meter race at the Wanda Diamond League meet in Doha, Qatar, on May 5 and the star-studded L.A. Grand Prix May 27 at UCLA (where he hasn’t decided on the event).

But don’t suggest that his sharpened 100 speed might entice him to shoot for a world record in the 400.

“I’m 100% committed to 100 right now,” he said.

His goals are long-term.

After seeking to make the U.S. team for this summer’s world championships in Budapest, Hungary — where he’s open to running a leg on the 4×400 relay — he’s shooting for the 2024 Paris Olympics and even the Los Angeles Games of 2028.

“My horizon is endless,” he said. “I don’t know what that limit is, so we’re going to keep pushing and see where I end up.”

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