Sports
U.S. men win 4×400 relay for third consecutive Olympics
SAINT-DENIS, France — Everything that makes Rai Benjamin such an effective anchor leg was on display. Required by the task.
Officially, he had a quarter-of-a-second lead when he got the baton from Bryce Deadmon. It took a monster 43.54-second run from Deadmon to drag the U.S. from third place to a small lead. The anchor just had to do what he does. Close.
Here is the major problem Benjamin had this time: Letsile Tebogo of Botswana. The same sprinter who ran the men’s 200-meter final in 19.4 seconds to win gold.
“I run the 400 hurdles,” Benjamin said, “so I’d like to think that my engine is bigger than his. But nineteen-four? We cannot sleep on that.
“And just the sheer talent that he has. … That’s generational right there. The kid’s freaking great.”
So it was time for Benjamin’s experience to kick in. For his strategy. For his speed. For his patience and poise.
For his loyalty.
“Somebody cracked a joke in there … that had to do with Noah (Lyles),” Benjamin said. “Oh they cracking jokes? … You guys about to get punished right now.”
Rai Benjamin holds off Letsile Tebogo to anchor Team USA to gold in the 4x400m relay! #ParisOlympics
📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/MhJbrRH43D
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 10, 2024
The men’s 4×400 relay has been contested now in 26 Olympiads. America has won 19 of them, including nine of the last 11.
This comes one night after the 4×100 relay team — featuring some of the fastest men in the world — squandered their chance at gold. After getting disqualified for the first exchange happening out of the zone, American sprint legend Carl Lewis demanded an overhaul of that relay program, which hasn’t won a medal since 2004 or a gold since 2000.
“They know my number if they want me,” said sprint legend Maurice Greene, part of the last gold medal 4×100 relay team. “It’s just terrible. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t have won.”
But those problems don’t extend to the other relay. (Of course, the hand-offs are far less intense when you have an entire lap to run.)
The 400-meter runners aren’t the most glorified of America’s sprinters. They’re gold medalists and record holders in their own right. But their names aren’t on the marquee of USA Track and Field. Yet they’ve consistently gotten the job done.
The Paris Games proved to be no different. But it wasn’t easy.
The gamesmanship began early. In the call room before the runners took the track, Benjamin said Botswana organized as if Tebogo wasn’t running anchor. The ploy didn’t work, though. They all knew Tebogo would finish.
“And I knew it was gonna be a fight coming home,” Benjamin said, “so it was probably my most calculated anchor leg that I’ve run since I’ve been anchoring this relay for the past couple (of) years.”
Benjamin clarified the joke about Lyles was harmless and it wasn’t Botswana. He wouldn’t say anything more than it wasn’t anything offensive or derogatory. Just part of the mind games that go on behind the scenes, and that he didn’t like it. Because in the throes of competition, any banter is a salvo. It’s all motivation.
GO DEEPER
Rai Benjamin claims his first Olympic gold in men’s 400m hurdles
It takes more than mind games to beat Benjamin, who couldn’t remember the last time he lost a relay in which he anchored.
“Maybe in high school,” he said. “Maybe.”
He now has two Olympic championships as the anchor, including the last Olympics in Tokyo. He also has two gold medals from the World Championships as anchor. And two NCAA championships, outdoor and indoor, as anchor.
Is he America’s greatest closer ever?
“Michael Norman,” Benjamin said after a pregnant pause. “Yes. You’ve seen Michael Norman flat-out run forty-three-oh in Sacramento. Straight gas. Look it up.”
Indeed, Norman ran a 43.06 for USC in the NCAA West preliminary round at Sacramento State in 2018. Benjamin ran the first leg in that race.
“When Michael’s healthy and he’s firing on all cylinders,” Benjamin said. “A dangerous guy.”
On this night, the dangerous guy was Tebogo, and all the U.S. had was Benjamin. He played a perfect game of chess, knowing the 400 meters is uncomfortably long for the elite sprinter from Botswana. Benjamin went fast enough so Tebogo had to work hard and drain some energy. But Benjamin couldn’t go too fast so as not to burn himself out. He was going to need his closing speed.
For 200 meters, with Tebogo’s breath on his neck, Benjamin worked his strategy. He stayed patient, focused on himself and his race. He didn’t look up at the jumbotron to monitor Tebogo. Benjamin let his feel and instincts guide him. Then, at the right time, “just kick like hell coming home.”
Tebogo’s speed was countered. Benjamin’s lead was preserved. And the gold medal was America’s.
“Because,” Vernon Norwood said of Benjamin, “he’s Captain America.”
Required reading
(Photo: Hannah Peters / Getty Images)
Sports
ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd
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LAS VEGAS – Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.
While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.
The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”
Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.
WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”
Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.
“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”
Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.
Sports
After 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy Rosenbloom is leaving town
It’s time to reveal memories, laughs and crazy times from Randy Rosenbloom’s 55 years as a TV/radio broadcaster in Los Angeles. He’s hopping in a car next Sunday with his wife, saying goodbye to a North Hollywood house that’s been in his family since 1952 and driving 3,300 miles to his new home in Greenville, S.C.
“When I walk out, I’ll probably break down,” he said.
He graduated from North Hollywood High in 1969. He got his first paid job in 1971 calling Hart basketball games for NBC Cable Newhall for $10 a game. It began an adventure of a lifetime.
“I never knew if I overachieved or underachieved. I just did what I loved,” he said.
Randy Rosenbloom (left) used to work with former UCLA coach John Wooden for TV games.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
John Wooden, Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick were among his expert commentators when he did play by play for college basketball games. He called volleyball at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games for NBC and rowing in 2004. He’s worked more than 100 championship high school events. He did play by play for the first and only Reebok Bowl at Angel Stadium in 1994 won by Bishop Amat over Sylmar, 35-14.
“There were about 5,000, 6,000 people there and I remember thinking nobody watched the game. We ended up with a 5.7 TV rating on Channel 13 in Los Angeles, which is higher than most Lakers games.”
He conducted interviews with NFL Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Johnny Unitas and boxing greats Robert Duran, Thomas Hearn and Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s worked with baseball greats Steve Garvey and Doug DeCinces. He called games with former USC coach Rod Dedeaux. He was in the radio booth for Bret Saberhagen’s 1982 no-hitter in the City Section championship game at Dodger Stadium. He was a nightly sportscaster for KADY in Ventura.
Randy Rosenbloom, left, with his volleyball broadcast partners, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
He was the voice of Fresno State football and basketball. He also did Nevada Las Vegas football and basketball games. He called bowl games and Little League games. He was a public address announcer for basketball at the 1984 Olympic Games with Michael Jordan the star and did the P.A. for Toluca Little League.
Nothing was too small or too big for him.
“I loved everything,” he said.
He called at least 10 East L.A. Classic football games between Garfield and Roosevelt. He was there when Narbonne and San Pedro tied 21-21 in the 2008 City championship game at the Coliseum on a San Pedro touchdown with one second left.
Probably his most notable tale came when he was doing radio play-by-play at a 1998 college bowl game in Montgomery, Ala.
“I look down and a giant tarantula is crawling up my pants,” he said. “My color man took all the press notes, wadded them up and hit the tarantula like swinging a bat.”
Did Rosenbloom tell the audience what was happening?
“I stayed calm,” he said.
Then there was the time he was in the press box at Sam Boyd Stadium and a bat flew in and attached itself to the wooden press box right next to him before flying away after he said, “UNLV wins.”
Recently, he’s been putting together high school TV packages for LA36 and calling travel ball basketball games. He’ll still keep doing a radio gambling show from his new home, but he’s cutting ties to Los Angeles to move closer to grandchildren.
“I’m retiring from Los Angeles. I’m leaving the market,” he said.
Hopefully he’ll continue via Zoom to do a weekly podcast with me for The Times.
He’s a true professional who’s versatility and work ethic made him a reliable hire from the age of 18 through his current age of 74.
He’s a member of the City Section Hall of Fame and the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He once threw the shot put 51 feet, 7 1/2 inches, which is his claim to fame at North Hollywood High.
One time an ESPN graphic before a show spelled his name “Rosenbloom” then changed it to “Rosenblum” for postgame. It was worth a good laugh.
He always adjusts, improvises and ad-libs. He expects to enjoy his time in South Carolina, but he better watch out for tarantulas. They seem to like him.
Sports
Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Becky Lynch entered an atmosphere no other WWE women’s superstar has ever reached as she won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over AJ Lee on Saturday night at WrestleMania 42.
Lynch became the first person to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times after she pinned Lee. She first won the title against Lyra Valkyria in June 2025 and then again against Maxxine Dupri in November.
Becky Lynch celebrates with the belt after defeating AJ Lee during their women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
She dropped the belt to Lee at the Elimination Chamber, sparking a monthslong feud with her.
Lee gave Lynch the chance at the title in the weeks prior to WrestleMania 42. But it appeared Lee played right into Lynch’s plans. Despite arguing with referee Jessica Carr for most of the match, Lynch was able to tactfully tear down a rope buckle and use it to her advantage.
Lynch hit Lee with a Manhandle Slam and pinned her for the win.
WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’
AJ Lee reacts after losing to Becky Lynch in their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
It’s the second straight year Lynch will leave Las Vegas as champion. She returned to WWE at WrestleMania 41, teaming with Valkyria, to win the women’s tag titles. She will now leave Allegiant Stadium as the women’s intercontinental champion.
Lynch is now a seven-time women’s champion, three-time women’s intercontinental champion and two-time tag team champion.
Becky Lynch withstands AJ Lee during their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Lee’s reign as champion ended really before it could really begin. WrestleMania 42 was her first appearance at the event in 11 years. It’s unclear where Lee will go from here.
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