Heading into the Paris Olympics, 26-year-old Rai Benjamin has a stacked résumé that rivals that of Karsten Warholm, the world record holder in the men's 400m hurdles.

Here's a look into Benjamin's storied career so far.

How did Rai Benjamin do in college?

During his freshman season at UCLA, Rai Benjamin ran the 400m hurdles in 49.82 seconds at the NCAA Division I Championships, placing sixth and recording the eighth-fastest time in school history. The next year, he placed second in the event, clocking in at 48.33 seconds. 

After transferring to USC in 2018, Benjamin helped the Trojans to a world-best 3 minutes, 1.98 seconds in the 4x400m relay. His own split of 44.35 seconds was the fastest recorded in an indoor race at the time.

Later that season, he’d go on to set the NCAA record in the outdoor 400m hurdles, clocking 47.02 seconds, the second-fastest time ever recorded at that point.

How many Olympics has Rai Benjamin been to?

The Tokyo Olympics were Rai Benjamin’s first. 

How many medals has Rai Benjamin won?

At the Tokyo Olympics, Rai Benjamin’s American record-breaking and personal-best time of 46.17 seconds earned him a silver medal in the 400m hurdles and the honor of being the second-fastest man ever at the distance. He also helped the U.S. win gold in the 4x400m relay.

At the world championships, Benjamin owns two titles in the 4x400m hurdles (2019, 2023), two silver medals in the 400m hurdles (2019, 2022) and, despite battling a series of injuries and the death of his grandmother, a bronze in the distance in 2023.

What records has Rai Benjamin set?

While he was at USC, Rai Benjamin set two NCAA records: fastest split in an indoor 4x400m relay (44.35 seconds) — which was also an indoor world record at the time —  and fastest outdoor 400m hurdles (47.02 seconds). His time in the hurdles event was also the second-fastest time ever recorded up to that point.

In Tokyo, Benjamin broke the American record in the 400m hurdles, posting a time of 46.17 seconds and becoming the second-fastest man ever at the distance. Norway's Warholm still holds the world record in the event at 45.94 seconds.