Months After Creating History on U.S. Soil, Olympic Champion Draws Line Between Passion and Hobbies

Not everyone can excel in track and field, especially the 400-meter hurdles. The event demands an unusual degree of finesse and determination, which is difficult for even the staunchest athlete to muster at times. However, there is one sprinting ace who has gunned for the crowning glory in every iteration of the event at international competitions.

Rai Benjamin was exalted to paragon status after his fourth consecutive capture of the U.S. 400m hurdle title. However, as recent events suggest, his pursuit of excellence is not limited to the tracks anymore. The speedster has found a new challenge on a different turf, promising even more exciting exploits.

Rai Benjamin explores new love for cycling

Paris Olympic hopeful Rai Benjamin has been training his legs during the off-season with an unlikely form of exercise. Instead of doing leg presses and running drills, he has been putting the pedal to the metal on a bicycle. His cross-training razzmatazz has attracted the attention of the media, with Citius Mag taking the lead in the inquiry. Benjamin, glad to clear the air about his recent pursuit, agreed to appear for a podcast with Chris Chavez. The podcast was streamed live on Spotify after a prompt announcement on Instagram. Citius Mag also posted nuggets from the interview on their Instagram stories with the tagline, “Rai Benjamin Q&A: On Finding A Passion For Cycling In The Off-Season, What Track Can Learn”.

For Rai Benjamin, cycling was not as random as one might think. Ever since the Prefontaine Classic, where he explored his love for speed with a new Diamond League record, the track star has been intrigued by the idea of incorporating cycling into his training regimen. However, he had to curb this craving upon his agent’s advice. But, during his trip to Munich, Benjamin found a rare bike shop and decided to satiate the itch. Interestingly, this is just one aspect of his Olympics training.

Rai Benjamin adds new training partner

In the track and field realm, it is quite uncommon for two stalwart figures to team up for the big season. The Olympic season stokes the greed for individual fame, which must preclude any notion of collaboration. However, Rai Benjamin found an odd yet intriguing opportunity to add 100-meter specialist Fred Kerley as a training partner.

Read More: After Accepting Defeat Multiple Times, Rai Benjamin Creates History on American Soil Post Golden Finish at Diamond League 2023 Finals

During his revelations, Benjamin said, “At first it was exciting. I mean, it still is exciting. Fred and I did a workout together last week, actually…But the reality is that he’s running the 100 and I’m running the 400 hurdles and very rarely do we come together”. Will this unlikely partnership result in dual gold-winning celebrations in Paris next year?

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