Benjamin Richardson (sprinter)

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Benjamin Richardson
Richardson at the 2024 African Championships
Personal information
Born (2003-12-19) 19 December 2003 (age 21)
Dublin, Ireland
Alma materUniversity of Pretoria
Height6 ft 3 in (1.90 m)[1]
Sport
Country Ireland
SportTrack and field
Event(s)
100 m, 200 m
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100 m: 9.86 (2024)
200 m: 19.99 (2024)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  South Africa
African Championships
Silver medal – second place 2022 Maurice 4x100m
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Douala 100 m
World U20 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2021 Nairobi 4×100m
Silver medal – second place 2021 Nairobi 100 m
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Cali 100 m

Benjamin Richardson (born 19 December 2003) is an Irish track and field athlete who competes in 100 m and 200 m sprint events.[2] In 2025, Richardson switched his sporting allegiance from South Africa to Ireland, his country of birth.[3]

Early life

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Richardson was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was adopted and raised by his grandparents from Ghana, grandfather Osam and grandmother Beatrice when he was only 3 months old and brought to South Africa.[4] Osam was a career politician and moved to Mbombela in South Africa in 1987.

Richardson attended Nelspruit Primary School, TuksSport High School, and studied at the University of Pretoria in Pretoria.[5][6][7]

Career

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In 2021, he won the silver medal in the 100 metres at the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya.[8] At the same competition he won gold as part of the South African 4 × 100 m relay team. With Mihlali Xhotyeni, Sinesipho Dambile, Letlhogonolo Moleyane, the relay team broke the world U20 record, running 38.51 seconds.[9]

In April 2022, he lowered his personal best over 100 metres to 10.08, Gaborone.[7] In August 2022, he won the bronze medal in the 100 metres at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia.[10]

In August 2023, he was the youngest member of the South African team selected for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.[11]

He ran as part of the South African 4 × 100 m relay team which qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics at the 2024 World Relays Championships in Nassau, Bahamas.[12] In June 2024, he won bronze in the 100 metres at the African Championships in Cameroon.[13] He set a new 100m personal best of 9.86 seconds and a new 200m personal best of 19.99 seconds in La Chaux-de-Fonds in July 2024.[14]

He was selected for the South African team for the 2024 Olympic Games.[15] He competed in the 100 metres at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he reached the semi-finals.[16] Unfortunately, in the Paris 2024 200m heats, Richardson pulled his hamstring[17] and had to walk the rest of the race, finishing over 30 seconds slower than his heatmates,[18] then withdraw from the repechage round[17] and the rest of the 2024 Olympics.[19]

Statistics

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Grand Slam Track results[20]
Slam Race group Event Pl. Time Prize money
2025 Miami Slam Short sprints 100 m 6th 9.99 US$10,000
200 m 7th 20.62

References

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  1. ^ "Benjamin Richardson". Eurosport. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Benjamin Richardson". World Athletics. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  3. ^ Botton, Wesley (21 October 2025). "Benji Richardson applies to represent Ireland at international level". The Citizen. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  4. ^ Linder, Blake (26 April 2024). "The Lowveld's Benjamin fulfils his Olympic prophecy". Lowvelder. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  5. ^ Manaleng, Palesa (20 August 2021). "SA'S BENJAMIN RICHARDSON SPRINTS TO SILVER AT U20 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  6. ^ Baloyi, Charles (1 September 2021). "Richardson shifts focus to books after bagging two medals". Sowetanlive.co.za. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b "#TuksAthletics: Tuks sprinter Benjamin Richardson keeps on winning South African titles and gives credit to his coach, Paul Gorries | University of Pretoria". UP News. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Sprinter Benjamin Richardson Claims 2nd Medal WA U20 Champs". showme.co.za. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  9. ^ "'Individually we are all fast' – Benjamin Richardson, after SA Under-20s smash world relay record". iol.co.za. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  10. ^ Omogbeja, Omi (3 August 2023). "Cali22: Letsile Tebogo Jogs 9.91 World U20 Record On Way To 100m Gold".
  11. ^ Botton, Wesley (16 August 2023). "Teenage sprint sensation Benji Richardson targets World Champs medal". Citizen.co.za. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Men 4x100m Results - World Athletics Relays Championships 2024". Watch Athletics. 5 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Brume sails to fourth title as Bass Bittaye and Moraa win at African Championships in Douala". World Athletics. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Femke Bol shatters 400m hurdles European record with 50.95 at Resisprint in La Chaux-de-Fonds". Watch Athletics. 14 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  15. ^ "More SA athletes for Paris Olympics announced". SuperSport. 19 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Men's 100 Metres - Paris Olympic Games 2024 Athletics". Watch Athletics. 4 August 2024. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  17. ^ a b Abiola, Raphael (6 August 2024). "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Men's 200m - Round 1 - Heat 3/6 results" (PDF). Olympics. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  19. ^ Isaacson, David (7 August 2024). "Benjamin Richardson ruled out of Olympics in blow to 4x100m relay". The Sowetan. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Grand Slam Track Results". Grand Slam Track. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
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