Tim Benjamin
- Thread starter white lightning
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white lightning
Hall of Famer
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I would love to ask him if he volunteered to go to 400 meters. Do you know how much pain it takes to run the 400? I belive some guys are cut out for it and some are not. I almost will go so far as to say that Tim has probably had more injuries because he was moved up. He is a very, very good 400 meter sprinter when healthy. I just think that his body type is more suited for the 200 meters. I think he could have been a very good 200 meter specialist. I agree that the 100 wasn't his calling.
Either way, when healthy Tim is fun to watch. I have enjoyed rooting for him over the years and I'm hoping he can run good the rest of the summer.
Either way, when healthy Tim is fun to watch. I have enjoyed rooting for him over the years and I'm hoping he can run good the rest of the summer.
albinosprint
Mentor
you never know what could have happened in the 100m.10.48 at 17 is just as fast as Rocket Ramil was at 18. and as for the 400m, that is a race you couldn't pay me to run. the only time I ran it was if my coach asked me to. you just don't volunteer for that race. it is hands down the toughest race physically and mentally. the mental part comes in when you get on that line and you know within 45-50 seconds after the gun goes off your going to want to puke.
white lightning
Hall of Famer
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Very well said my friend! You and I know from experience. No thanks. I have so much respect for Wariner, Benjamin and all the other elite 400 meters sprinters.
albinosprint
Mentor
Tim has retired.
20th July 2009
Statement from Tim Benjamin
"It is with both great sadness and excitement that I am announcing my retirement from athletics with immediate effect.
The injuries and illnesses I have endured over the last four years have been well documented, with my absence from last summer's Olympics Games representing the pinnacle of disappointment and frustration.
Although this decision may seem sudden, it is the culmination of incessant setbacks. I have already talked about how my 2008 disappointment almost caused me to leave the sport, but I was determined to end my career on my own terms when the time arrived.
I feel incredibly proud that I have come back from a very difficult period in my life to achieve the qualifying time for the 2009 IAAF World T&F Championships and win the European Cup for my country. Taking an individual or relay spot in Berlin from an aspiring 2012 Olympian would be disingenuous and unfair when I am unable to enjoy competing the way I used to.
I must thank the many, many people who have supported me over the last decade. There are many, but most notably, my wife Natalie and family, my early coaches at Cardiff AAC, Jock Anderson, Tony Lester, Colin Jackson, all my training partners, my manager Ricky Simms and the team at PACE Sports Management. Most recently my collaboration with Linford Christie and his training group has been refreshing and enjoyable. I am thankful for the continued support I have received from Dave Scott and Nike - my long time sponsors.
Everybody at UK Athletics, in particular the medical team, has been fantastic. They have certainly had their work cut out with me but have never wavered in their support and dedication. I also thank all the media who reported on my performances over the years.
I am enormously grateful for the opportunities and friends this amazing sport has brought me and look forward to using the passion I have for it in another way in the near future."Â
Regards,
Tim
TIM BENJAMIN'S BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY â€"
Tim Benjamin has been one of Britain's top 400m runners for the past 8 years. He ends his career as the 6th fastest British athlete of all-time behind such one lap greats as Iwan Thomas, Roger Black, Mark Richardson, David Grindley and Derek Redmond. His personal best of 44.56 secs was set in the IAAF World Athletics Final in Monaco in 2005.
2005 was the best year of his career. He placed 5th in the IAAF World T&F Championships in Helsinki, beat World No. 1 and Olympic Champion Jeremy Warnier and broke the 45 secs barrier for the first time to win the London Grand Prix. He ended the season ranked 2nd in the world after excellent performances in many of the major meets on the circuit.
Tim was an extremely talented junior who won his first national title in 1997 with the U17 indoor 200m while still only 14. His time of 21.74 secs was the world's fastest for a 14 year old. He won the IAAF World Youth T&F Championships 200m gold in 1999 and later that year took a silver medal in the 200m and gold in the 4x100m in the European Junior T&F Championships. In 2000 he won bronze in the 200m in the IAAF World Junior T&F Championships in Chile and gold in the 4x100m in a European Junior record time. In 2001 the 200m specialist stepped up to 400m and in only his fourth race over the distance won the European Junior 400m title. To highlight a great Championships in Grosseto, Italy he went on to take 4x100m gold and 4x400m silver medals.
In 2002, his first year as a senior athlete, Tim won the AAA's 400m title and helped Wales to the 4x400m bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. He finished the season by placing 6th in the IAAF World Cup in Athletics in Madrid. His development continued in 2003 with a silver medal in the 400m in the European U23 Championships and bronze in the 4x400m in the IAAF World Indoor T&F Championships.
After winning the AAA's 400m title, Tim made it to the semi-final of the individual 400m in the 2004 Olympic Games and was a member of the British 4x400m team that placed 5th. In addition to his coaches Tim was helped by having Olympic silver medallist Roger Black as a mentor as he established himself as Britain's top 400m runner.
In 2006 he placed 6th in the European T&F Championships and won a silver medal in the 4x400m. In 2007 he placed 2nd in the European Cup and made it to the semi-final of the IAAF World T&F Championships in Osaka, Japan. Unfortunately an illness picked up in the middle of the season put him out of action for most of the 2008 season and forced him to miss the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Tim started 2009 in good form with wins in the European Team Championships and the Grand Prix in Torino but was hampered by a recurring hamstring injury as the season progressed.
20th July 2009
Statement from Tim Benjamin
"It is with both great sadness and excitement that I am announcing my retirement from athletics with immediate effect.
The injuries and illnesses I have endured over the last four years have been well documented, with my absence from last summer's Olympics Games representing the pinnacle of disappointment and frustration.
Although this decision may seem sudden, it is the culmination of incessant setbacks. I have already talked about how my 2008 disappointment almost caused me to leave the sport, but I was determined to end my career on my own terms when the time arrived.
I feel incredibly proud that I have come back from a very difficult period in my life to achieve the qualifying time for the 2009 IAAF World T&F Championships and win the European Cup for my country. Taking an individual or relay spot in Berlin from an aspiring 2012 Olympian would be disingenuous and unfair when I am unable to enjoy competing the way I used to.
I must thank the many, many people who have supported me over the last decade. There are many, but most notably, my wife Natalie and family, my early coaches at Cardiff AAC, Jock Anderson, Tony Lester, Colin Jackson, all my training partners, my manager Ricky Simms and the team at PACE Sports Management. Most recently my collaboration with Linford Christie and his training group has been refreshing and enjoyable. I am thankful for the continued support I have received from Dave Scott and Nike - my long time sponsors.
Everybody at UK Athletics, in particular the medical team, has been fantastic. They have certainly had their work cut out with me but have never wavered in their support and dedication. I also thank all the media who reported on my performances over the years.
I am enormously grateful for the opportunities and friends this amazing sport has brought me and look forward to using the passion I have for it in another way in the near future."Â
Regards,
Tim
TIM BENJAMIN'S BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY â€"
Tim Benjamin has been one of Britain's top 400m runners for the past 8 years. He ends his career as the 6th fastest British athlete of all-time behind such one lap greats as Iwan Thomas, Roger Black, Mark Richardson, David Grindley and Derek Redmond. His personal best of 44.56 secs was set in the IAAF World Athletics Final in Monaco in 2005.
2005 was the best year of his career. He placed 5th in the IAAF World T&F Championships in Helsinki, beat World No. 1 and Olympic Champion Jeremy Warnier and broke the 45 secs barrier for the first time to win the London Grand Prix. He ended the season ranked 2nd in the world after excellent performances in many of the major meets on the circuit.
Tim was an extremely talented junior who won his first national title in 1997 with the U17 indoor 200m while still only 14. His time of 21.74 secs was the world's fastest for a 14 year old. He won the IAAF World Youth T&F Championships 200m gold in 1999 and later that year took a silver medal in the 200m and gold in the 4x100m in the European Junior T&F Championships. In 2000 he won bronze in the 200m in the IAAF World Junior T&F Championships in Chile and gold in the 4x100m in a European Junior record time. In 2001 the 200m specialist stepped up to 400m and in only his fourth race over the distance won the European Junior 400m title. To highlight a great Championships in Grosseto, Italy he went on to take 4x100m gold and 4x400m silver medals.
In 2002, his first year as a senior athlete, Tim won the AAA's 400m title and helped Wales to the 4x400m bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. He finished the season by placing 6th in the IAAF World Cup in Athletics in Madrid. His development continued in 2003 with a silver medal in the 400m in the European U23 Championships and bronze in the 4x400m in the IAAF World Indoor T&F Championships.
After winning the AAA's 400m title, Tim made it to the semi-final of the individual 400m in the 2004 Olympic Games and was a member of the British 4x400m team that placed 5th. In addition to his coaches Tim was helped by having Olympic silver medallist Roger Black as a mentor as he established himself as Britain's top 400m runner.
In 2006 he placed 6th in the European T&F Championships and won a silver medal in the 4x400m. In 2007 he placed 2nd in the European Cup and made it to the semi-final of the IAAF World T&F Championships in Osaka, Japan. Unfortunately an illness picked up in the middle of the season put him out of action for most of the 2008 season and forced him to miss the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Tim started 2009 in good form with wins in the European Team Championships and the Grand Prix in Torino but was hampered by a recurring hamstring injury as the season progressed.
This is really sad news.
Tim had a lot of potential, but injuries ruined his career.
I think he was the only guy to beat Wariner betw. 2004 and 2007.
Also I had hoped he could come back to sub-45 form and join GBRs 4 x 400 relay team. They are always competitive and recently had been one white guy short of being a completely white relay team.
Tim along with Martyn Rooney, Andrew Steele, Robert Tobin, (or Richard Buck, Dale Garland) would have been a sub 3-minute team, but somebody was always injured.
A real shame.
Fortunately, Britain has a long tradition of excellent white 400m runners - David Jenkins, Roger Black, Iwan Thomas, David Grindley, Tim Benjamin, Martyn Rooney. Hopefully there are more Tim Benjamin's coming along soon.
Tim had a lot of potential, but injuries ruined his career.
I think he was the only guy to beat Wariner betw. 2004 and 2007.
Also I had hoped he could come back to sub-45 form and join GBRs 4 x 400 relay team. They are always competitive and recently had been one white guy short of being a completely white relay team.
Tim along with Martyn Rooney, Andrew Steele, Robert Tobin, (or Richard Buck, Dale Garland) would have been a sub 3-minute team, but somebody was always injured.
A real shame.
Fortunately, Britain has a long tradition of excellent white 400m runners - David Jenkins, Roger Black, Iwan Thomas, David Grindley, Tim Benjamin, Martyn Rooney. Hopefully there are more Tim Benjamin's coming along soon.
I hope Rooney can bounce back and make the finals. He trains with Gillick I think so he should rebound. So will Wariner in one month's time. I actually like how he is the underdog, so he can once again surprise people. I want a medal for Ireland and Gillick the most though.
Real shame about Tim. The 400 is such a gruelling event, so many injuries. Grindley was finished by age 20; Roger Black missed four years of his prime; Iwan Thomas was never able to recreate his great period from 96-98 because of injuries; and Derek Redmond's collapse on the trackat the Olympics is one of the most famous sporting images. And those are only the Brits!