SAN FRANCISCO - Sophomore Rai Benjamin has been named the Pac-12 Men's Track Athlete of the Week, the conference office announced Tuesday afternoon.
Benjamin scorched the Arizona desert this past weekend at the Pac-12 vs. Big Ten Challenge held at Sun Angel Stadium in Tempe.
The Mount Vernon, N.Y., native won the 400m in a personal-best national-leading time of 46.17. He later came back to win the 400m hurdles in what is the second-fastest time in the country with a 50.40. Both times were Pac-12 vs. Big Ten Challenge records.
He started off the meet by running the second leg of the UCLA 4x100m relay that clocked a 39.91 - the fastest time by a Bruin relay since 2012. Earlier this season he clocked a 100m time of 10.40 (+3.1w) to now rank 14th in the nation.
Benjamin was a national qualifier in the 400m hurdles as a true freshman last season where he placed sixth to earn USTFCCCA first-team All-America honors. His time of 49.82 is the eighth fastest in school history.
Benjamin and the rest of the Bruins will participate in the Legends of Track & Field Invitational and the Bob Larsen Distance Carnival this weekend at Drake Stadium.