– amazing! I didn’t expect to run so fast. “I know I can, but for me it was just about wrapping up the season,” Ray Benjamin tells NRK.
He still didn’t realize he ran to a new state record in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 46.39 seconds when he met the press in Eugene. His shoulders were up to his knees, and so was his running suit almost as he entered the tent outside the stadium.
The American, who has an Olympic silver, two World Championship silvers and a World Championships bronze, looked far from thrilled after the victory – which was achieved with the fourth best time in the world ever and the best of the year in the world.
– Does not mean anything. I didn’t do it in the World Cup and I didn’t do it in the Olympics, it’s just the Diamond League final. No one will think of a Diamond League champion, but everyone will think of an Olympic champion.
Benjamin: – Many are disappointed
The American beat Carsten Warholm by 14 hundredths after a strong finish. He still seemed introspective.
Not Cheering Loudly: Ray Benjamin was satisfied with the strong performance, but he wanted to go home more than anything.
– Many are disappointed with me and that I went to major tournaments without giving my best.
When asked if the historic Olympic Final in Tokyo was a poor achievement, the Diamond League winner was quick to respond:
– Yes, I lost. He is an underachiever. I was going to win this race and I was going to win every race. This is my mentality. The fact is that someone else broke the world record and ran faster that day.
– He was better and has always been better when it mattered, so I had to pull myself together and perform when it really mattered, says Benjamin.
He naturally takes aim at Warholm, who lowered his world record to 45.94 seconds. Benjamin ran 46.17. Both times were unheard of a few years ago.
Warholm cuts short the vacation
But even if the smart American does not invest much in winning, it adds fuel to the fire of the Norwegian’s motivation.
– The only thing I can do is go back and train and… Yes, the off season will be shorter, Warholm tells NRK.
-What do you put in it?
-I have to go back to work, of course. You can see that the competitors have reached a level that means you have to run fast to join and fight for the Olympic gold medal next year. Which will be what everyone is fighting over. Things must be done right. It will be a battle.
Historically strong field: World record holder Carsten Warholm, Zurich winner Kieron McMaster,
Photography: Ali Gradisher/Agence France-Presse
While Warholm shortens the holiday, Benjamin does the opposite. He’s bought himself a new bike, and he’s going to ride it while he takes a month off.
He also credits his Norwegian rival for this.
-He should take some time to calm down too. It’s a big year next year, so you just want your body to calm down. It takes a lot to run that fast all the time. But he and the coach have done a great job and know what is best for them.
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