Rai Benjamin, who trained at UCLA and USC, wins elusive Olympic gold in 400 hurdles

SAINT-DENIS, France—With only three, 36-inch hurdles remaining in the race of his life, Rai Benjamin was in second place, his first championship gold medal in sight, and running off the final turn of the 400-meter hurdles final Friday night at the Paris Olympics when he said a silent prayer.“Please,” he thought, “don’t fall.” 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games Paris Olympics final medal count and results LA28 touts ‘authentically Los Angeles’ Olympics in handoff from Paris How to purchase tickets for L.A. Olympics Complete Olympics coverage In a 10-hurdle race, the 27-year-old former UCLA and USC star, who has trained in Los Angeles since 2015, landed awkwardly off the seventh. Benjamin took a step to his right while remaining inside his eighth lane to steady himself. The 400-meter hurdles is a carefully choreographed dance of precisely numbered strides between hurdles and his pattern had been thrown off. He reached for the 10th hurdle, switching his lead leg, and asked himself, for a fin...