Rai Benjamin and Abderrahman Samba to Race For First Time Ever

By Adam Kopet

Rai Benjamin and Qatar's Abderrahman Samba were the two fastest 400-meter hurdlers in 2018. Samba is ranked second on the all-time list and Benjamin is equal to third. They are set to race each other for the first time May 18 at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting.

Benjamin broke the collegiate record in the 400-meter hurdles when he won the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships in 47.02. That equaled Edwin Moses' fastest mark and at the time was the second-fastest time ever recorded.

Three weeks later, Samba improved on Benjamin's time at the Paris Diamond League meeting, running 46.98. That was the second-fastest time ever run and is an Asian record.

However, neither athlete raced each other. Benjamin, having come off a long NCAA season, raced twice after the NCAA Championships, choosing the 200 meters in both cases. He did improve his personal best to 19.99.

Samba went undefeated in the 400-meter hurdles in 2018. He has a winning streak, including preliminary heats, of 13 races, going back to the end of the 2017 season.

This season, Benjamin set a personal best in the 400 meters, running 44.31 for second place at the Mt. SAC Relays. That race was won by Michael Norman in 43.45. Shanghai will be Benjamin's 400-meter hurdles season debut.

Samba has already seen success in the 400-meter hurdles this season. He won the Asian Outdoor Championships in 47.51. Earlier this season he ran a personal-best 44.60 for 400 meters in South Africa.