Benjamin Hurdles Way Into US Top 10 All-Time, McLaughlin Still On All-Time Great Path
Rai Benjamin has competed in enough elite meets during his career to know better. If the training has been going well and he’s healthy, there’s no need to worry if he’s not at his customary front-running spot.
Coming down the backstretch of the 400-meter hurdles at the New Balance Nationals, the Mount Vernon (NY) senior was behind the fast, early-start of eventual third-place finisher Norman Grimes of Canyon (TX).
“I didn’t panic,” he said. “I had a race plan coming in; to run my own race regardless what happens. Coming around the turn I noticed that Norman started to pull away but I didn’t panic, I just kept going, hitting each hurdle right, and at the end I just wanted to make it up, and I came home with it.”
What Benjamin came home with was a national title and a nation No. 1 winning clocking of 49.97 seconds, his first time under the 50-second barrier and third fastest in meet history.
Finishing second in the race was Union Catholic (NJ) senior Taylor McLaughlin in 50.20. Grimes crossed the line at 50.97.
“At the ninth hurdle, we were pretty much even and at the tenth hurdle I pulled away and I knew I had it in the bag then,” Benjamin said. “I just had to power home. I trusted my foot speed and it brought me home and I went sub 50. I’m happy with that.”
McLaughlin’s younger sister, tenth-grader Sydney McLaughlin, established a meet record and defended her title in the girls’ 400m hurdles with a time of 55.87, a national sophomore record. Brandee Johnson, a junior from Nansemond River (VA), was second with a nearly three-second best of 57.63. Providence Day School (VA) junior Anna Cockrell, matched her third-place finish in the 100 hurdles, taking that position in the longer event with a best of 57.70.
McLaughlin’s time falls just short of her PR for the event, a freshmen national record of 55.63, which she did at the USATF Junior National Championships, a meet she will compete in this coming weekend in Eugene, Oregon.
“I was just coming out here to run my race and get a better PR for myself for Worlds,” said the gifted tenth-grader, making reference to the IAAF World Youth Championships in mid-July. “To come out with a 55.87, which is not my PR but it’s close, is a great feeling. The nerves were getting to me but this was a good ice breaker for next week (at the Junior Nationals).”
- Results: Girls 400H - Boys 400H
- Photos: Girls 400H - Boys 400H