Benjamin Advances To 400m Hurdles Final At Paris Olympics

Track & Field | August 07, 2024

Rai Benjamin advanced to the men’s 400m hurdles final and Michael Norman placed eighth in the men’s 400m final during the sixth day of track and field at the 2024 Paris Olympics held at Stade de France in Paris, France today (Aug. 7). 

• Rai Benjamin (USC, 2019) of USA cruised to victory in his men’s 400m hurdles semifinal heat with a time of 47.85.  His time was third overall among the qualifiers.  The men’s 400m hurdles final will be on Aug. 9 at 12:45 p.m.
• Michael Norman (USC, 2019) of USA placed eighth in the men’s 400m dash final.  The top four runners in the race posted personal bests.  Norman was also a 400m finalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing fifth.
• Kendall Ellis (USC, 2018) of USA placed fourth in her women’s 400m semifinal heat running out of lane No. 2 with a time of 50.40.  Ellis’s time was ninth overall, missing the final by one position.
• Andre De Grasse (USC, 2015) and Aaron Brown (USC, 2014) both of Canada finished 10th and 15^th respectively in the men’s 200m semifinals.  De Grasse took third in his heat with a time of 20.41 (-0.1) and Brown was seventh in his heat with a time of 20.57 (-0.2).  De Grasse won a gold medal in the 200m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
• Jordan Scott (USC, 2021) of Jamaica placed 24^th in the men’s triple jump qualifying with a best leap of 53-8.25/16.36m (+0.3).  The top 12 jumpers advanced to the event final.

Current  or graduated Trojans in action tomorrow at the 2024 Paris Olympics will be: Aaron Brown (USC, 2014) for Canada in the men’s 4x100m first round, Anna Cockrell (USC, 2021) for USA in the women’s 400m hurdles final, Andre De Grasse (USC, 2015) for Canada in the men’s 4x100m first round, Jasmine Jones (USC, 2024) for USA in the women’s 400m hurdles final, TeeTee Terry (USC, 2021) for USA in the women’s 4x100m relay first round.