Olympics 100m hurdles champion Masai Russell has weighed in on how her triumph at the Paris Games will act as a major motivator for the rest of her career.
Paris Olympics 100m hurdles champion Masai Russell believes her triumph in the French capital has set the bar and this will motivate her to win more medals in her specialty.
Russell, 24, prevailed in her debut at the Olympics and the pressure to continue dominating seems to be building with the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo offering the American sprinter an opportunity to seal her legacy as a track queen.
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Russell, the US NCAA record holder in the 100m, promised to push herself to the limit going forward after her mother asked her about building a legacy. Athlos shared a conversation with Russell, who discussed building her legacy by winning Olympic titles year after year.
"My mom has always told me, 'What will be your legacy?' I think I'm in the process of building that. Winning an Olympic gold as a rookie. I just want to continue to make that happen year in and year out and do it with a smile on my face and bringing people along while I'm doing it," she explained on the X platform, formerly Twitter.
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Russell's rise hasn't been surprising considering that in 2023, she lowered Grace Stark's 60m hurdles collegiate record and earned second place in the 100m and 400m hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Division I Championships.
She continued her momentum to the USA Outdoor Championships track, finishing third and securing a spot in the World Championships but her special moment came at the Paris Olympics. Russell noted how setting goals and working towards attaining them defines her.
When asked the reason behind running, Russell said: "I think my why is taking it how far Masai can take it. Set these goals and you put them out there and when you just attain them, you show yourself what you're capable of. It's just a challenge every day."