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Orlando Bennett On A Quest for Greatness
Written by by Khimani Clarke - Contributor. Posted in Athletics. | 13 February 2025 | 279 Views
Tags: Athletics, Orlando Bennett, Olympics, 110M Hurdles, World Championships

In the world of track and field, technique is king. For Orlando Bennett, a hurdler with a penchant for the unorthodox, it's a mantra he lives by. "The better you're technically, the better your times will be," Bennett emphasized during a recent interview with Sportsmax.TV.

Bennett's focus on technical refinement has paid dividends. At the Olympic Games in Paris last summer, he clocked a personal best of 13.09 seconds in the 110m hurdles semi-finals, raising eyebrows throughout the athletics community by winning his heat and beating eventual silver medalist Robert Daniels of the USA. Notably, he felt he had even more in the tank, having slowed down towards the end of the race. "I was just really happy and excited to get a PB and make such a great achievement for myself and my country," Bennett recalls.

But the former Calabar High star isn't resting on his laurels. With a newfound status as one of the world's top 10 hurdlers, he's acutely aware that the only way to stay ahead is to keep pushing. According to Bennett, "Being at the top now just means I have to work harder to climb the ladder." His goal? Crack the top 5.

His motivation comes from those closest to him – family and friends who've seen the potential in him since day one. As he explains, "They're the ones who keep me going. I have to make them proud."

As he gears up for a chance to qualify for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, Bennett is taking a measured approach. "I'm not taking any risks. I'm just sticking to what I know and bettering my craft each session," he notes. The real challenge, he acknowledges, lies in staying healthy and injury-free.

And then, of course, there's the small matter of his technique. Bennett leads with his right leg, a quirk that's raised eyebrows among coaches and commentators. But for him, it's simply what works. As he puts it, "Snapping down is always good, as long as I keep my technique fluent and efficient."

With his sights set firmly on the top, Orlando Bennett is primed to unleash his full potential on the world stage. Every hurdle cleared, every record threatened, brings him closer to greatness.