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US Olympic champion Masai Russell has lofty goals planned out for her career after winning the Olympic title in Paris, one of which includes breaking Tobi Amusan's World Record.
Olympic champion in the women's 100mH event Masai Russell won't be resting on her Paris accomplishment anytime soon as she has massive career goals that includes breaking Tobi Amusan's World Record.
The 24-year-old American hurdler powered her way to the Olympic title in August, blazing to the finish line in 12.33s to out-dip home crowd favourite Cyrena Samba-Mayela in 12.34s, while Puerto Rico's defending champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn was third in 12.36s.
Russell's underdog story to Olympic glory wasn't a smooth ride as she competed in just two global finals in 2024, but won the one that mattered the most.
Her indoor season saw her finish fourth in the 60mH final at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, which was an agonizing result for her after due to her written goals for the year - world indoor record, world indoor title, Olympic title, and world outdoor record.
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“It was pretty devastating,” reflects Russell in an interview with worldathletics.org. “I missed out on a medal by just being leaned out but I wasn’t going to make the same mistake in the outdoor season. It’s been amazing to see the transition from indoors to out.”
Moving outdoors, her path to Paris glory was highlighted by winning the US Olympic Team Trials in Eugene where she clocked a then world-leading 12.25s to move joint fourth on the world all-time list. Alaysha Johnson was second in 12.31s, Grace Stark with the same time for third in 12.31s, Nia Ali fourth in 12.37s, Tonea Marshall fifth in 12.38s and Keni Harrison sixth in 12.39s.
On reflection, she considers the Olympic trials as her break-out achievement.
“I was way more stressed making the team in the trials than actually being on the line in the Olympic final,” she said.
“There’s no Olympics if you don’t get through the US trials. And the US trials is like the Olympics within itself. That was the fastest-run women’s 100 hurdles. And the women’s 100m hurdles is the most competitive event in track and field."
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17:47 - 06.10.2024
'I started the season an unsponsored athlete' - Olympic champion Masai Russel shares rocky story from being the underdog to Paris glory
Olympic 100mH champion Masai Russel detailed her stormy path to Paris Olympic glory despite not having a sponsored contract at the beginning of the season.
Despite her Olympic gold marking one of her goals for the year, Russell maintains she still has her sights on the targets she set at the start of 2024.
“My goal is to be the world indoor record-holder, the world indoor champ, world outdoor record-holder, world outdoor champ - and Olympic champ again.
“If I’m not shooting to be the best ever in the sport, then what am I doing? I’m trying to build a legacy for those who look up to me: the little girls who don’t believe they’re big enough or strong enough to do it. I know that they can. I want to be that person for them,” she concluded.
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