What happens when one of track and field’s biggest stars opens his season… and immediately gets outshone? That’s exactly the story Rai Benjamin is living right now. The American star, known for his explosive speed and Olympic fire, finally stepped back on the track, but let’s just say, things didn’t go quite as planned. And yet, what did he say after the race? That’s where things got really interesting…

Oslo. June 12. One electric race. Benjamin, Karsten Warholm, and Alison dos Santos, the Big Three, lined up in a rare 300m hurdles showdown. For Rai, this wasn’t just any race. It was his season opener outdoors. No warm-ups, no tune-ups, just straight into the fire with two of the fastest men in the world. And you know what? He didn’t back down for a second. Rai blasted out of the blocks, took the early lead, and looked sharp through 200m. But then… the Viking struck. Karsten Warholm, running like a man possessed, stormed past in the final stretch and smashed his own world best with a ridiculous 32.67 seconds. Benjamin? He finished second in 33.22, a personal best, but still, second. Now here’s where it gets real.

This wasn’t a total loss for Rai. Far from it. You could tell he was using this race as a temperature check. “It’s my season opener,” he said later. “Just executing a good race and seeing where I’m at.” And he’s right, 2025 isn’t built like last year. With the World Championships not until September, this phase is all about building, not peaking. But even so, the competitive fire was there. The look in his eyes said it loud: he’s not satisfied. And just when fans thought he was done talking, Rai Benjamin dropped a promise. Not the lighthearted, “But if I win tomorrow, I’m taking my shirt off” kind of promise he joked about after Oslo.

His humor gave way to honesty, though, as he reflected on the timing of his season: “I think it takes time to get into that, especially coming off of last year. I think last year was, like, completely different. I think everyone approached last year in a much more, like, serious manner—like, okay, we have to be ready earlier because the Games are in July, whereas this year it’s in September.” And that changes everything. With a longer season ahead and World Championships in September, Benjamin isn’t rushing. “So it’s a bit more of a just kind of rolling into things and just feeling everything out,” he explained. “So tomorrow, for me, it’s just—of course, I keep it fun, get a good one with these guys, ’cause every time we step on the track, like, it’s always—it’s always great, and you have to be on your A-game. So just seeing where—seeing where about tomorrow.”

Well, the “tomorrow” of Oslo is now behind him, and now all eyes shift to what’s next. Stockholm on June 15. Paris on June 20. And the big one: Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on July 5. The curtain has lifted, and Rai Benjamin has officially entered the 2025 season. He may have been edged in his opener, but the real story? It’s still unfolding. And that shirt? Still waiting for its moment. But we are sure his goals in 2025 can shine.

Why Rai Benjamin is the track’s most complete star

At 27 years old and standing 6′3″, Rai Benjamin continues to shine as one of the most versatile and elite athletes in track and field. He holds the North American record and the second-fastest time in history, 46.17 seconds in the 400m hurdles, set while earning Olympic silver in Tokyo 2021. He upgraded that to Olympic gold in Paris 2024 with a 46.46 performance and has collected medals at every global championship since 2019, silvers in Doha and Eugene, bronze in Budapest, and multiple golds in the 4×400m relay. He’s also a USATF champion and Diamond League threat, constantly delivering world-class performances.

But it’s not just the hurdles where he dominates. Rai Benjamin’s range is elite: 44.21 s in the 400m flat, 19.99 s over 200m, and a blistering 10.03 s in the 100m. Earlier this year, he clocked 32.21 s in the indoor 300m in Boston. His versatility, consistency, and mental sharpness make him more than just a top athlete—he’s a championship machine. With the 2025 World Championships set for September, Rai Benjamin looks locked in. And given his recent form and hunger, there’s every reason to believe he can not only reclaim the world title but even finally take down his biggest rival, Karsten Warholm.