US Olympic Track and Field Trials 2021: Rai Benjamin and his interesting cricket connection

American sprinter Rai Benjamin was always surrounded by sport. Competing, strategizing, winning and losing were a part of his daily life and there was no way Rai Benjamin could think of anything but sports.

Born in Antigua to Winston Benjamin, a former West Indies cricketer, and Jeanette Mason, Rai Benjamin grew up understanding the nuances of sport, especially cricket.

Cricket and soccer in Antigua are almost akin to a religion. They take their sport very seriously. People dabble in a sport of their choice, either playing or discussing it. Sport (mostly cricket and football) brings the entire nation of Antigua closer to one another.

Grateful 🥺🤞🏾 pic.twitter.com/2C1A4LrFWG

— Rai Benjamin (@_Kingben_) June 17, 2021

It was natural for Rai Benjamin to take up a sport as his profession. He had a brief stint in cricket and soccer but took to the track and field disciplines like a fish to water.

His father, Winston, was a fast bowler. Rai Benjamin feels his father would have also made an excellent 200m sprinter. The sprinting gene seems to have rubbed off on Rai as he picked up running as a professional career choice.

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The seriousness in his son’s embrace of the sport was evident for Winston when Rai emotionally broke down after losing a sprint as young boy. It was evident that he had his heart in track and field.

Being a sportsperson himself, Winston Benjamin, knew the support he had to give to his son. He made Rai Benjamin compete on the junior circuit and the young gun responded with grit and talent. Very soon, he was sweeping the junior circuit and a pro career in track and field was evident.

Winston's main advice to his son was to trust himself. It is something Rai Benjamin will take forward every time he steps on to the track.

The American sprinter acknowledges the motivation and support his father offers. Although he has his coaches, Winston’s words do mean a lot and Rai Benjamin makes sure to lend a patient ear to his father. He went on to credit both his parents for his development.

Rai Benjamin moves to the US

Competing for Antigua and Barbuda didn’t satiate Rai’s dreams. He wanted to represent the United States – a personality of two nations imbibed into one, as Rai Benjamin puts it.

The move to the United States was a masterstroke. In college, Rai Benjamin was a part of the team that set a record in the 4x400m indoor relay, clocking 3:00.77, with Rai Benjamin recording a time of 44.35 seconds – the fastest in an indoor race. He did an encore outdoors, this time in 400m hurdles, clocking 47.02 seconds, which turned out to be the second-fastest time recorded.

Rai Benjamin was unstoppable. In his first World Championships at Doha in 2019, he won silver in the 400m hurdles and a gold in the 4x400m relay.

With a seasonal best of 47.13 in 400m hurdles and 44.97 in 400m, Rai Benjamin is one to watch out for at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials 2021