2018 NCAA Diary: Rai Benjamin runs 47.02 400m H (not a typo), and Michael Norman runs 43.61 (nope, not a typo)

Rai Benjamin, photo courtesy of USC Trojans

Benjamin sensational 47.02, Norman 43.61 WL

EUGENE (USA, Jun 8): Historical performances during Friday programme of men finals at NCAA Championships. AntiguaÂ´s Rai Benjamin improved to unexpected 47.02 at 400 m hurdles. He tied so the second fastest ever by Edwin Moses from 1983 (at that time World record). Only World record holder Kevin Young has ever run faster with 46.78. Behind him Kenny Selmon 48.12 PB and David Kendziera 48.42 PB with Kemar Mowatt 48.83. Another top highlight in the 400 m 43.61 by Michael Norman what is the 11th best performance all-time and 6th best ever performer and of course also a World lead. Behind him Jamaicans Akeem Bloomfield 43.94 PB (just 0.01 behind national record) and Nathon Allen 44.13 PB. Another World lead in 4×400 m by USC 2:59.00 beating Texas AM 2:59.91 and LSU 3.00.56. Houston won 4×100 m in 38.17. World leader Michael Saruni from Kenya was only third in the 800 m final 1:45.31, he was beaten by Isaiah Harris 1:44.76 and Canadian Marco Arop 1:45.25. Cameron Burrell won the 100 m in 10.13 (-0.9) over Elijah Hall 10.17 and Andre Ewers 10.19, in the 200 m Nigerian Divine Oduduru 20.28 (0.0) over Ewers 20.29. Grant Holloway topped the hurdles as expected in 13.42 (-1.1). In jumps overseas wins, Tejaswin Shankar from India 224 in high jump, Tahar Triki from Alger 16.79 (-0.7) in triple.

RunBlogRun opines: The whispers are gone. Rai Benjamin ran a race for the ages, as the USC Trojan ran the second fastest time in history in the rain. As RunBlogRun notes once in a while, “well I’m no doctor, but there has to be a few brands opening their check books for these two.” We hope that they stay in school another year, but that may not be realistic. Oh, one more thing. Benjamin, Samba and Warholm in same race, I would PAY to see.

Author

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.

Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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