If her 2024 and 2025 seasons are any indication, Masai Russell built dominance in hurdles at indoor championships. The hurdler who went pro in 2024 built her earliest professional identity on those tight Albuquerque curves, where her rise began. Early in 2025, that dominance grew as she swept off the leaderboard in the 60m hurdles at the USA Indoor Championships in just 7.74s and the indoor Millrose games. But now, 2026, promises to be a cornerstone in Masai Russell’s career, a season of bold decisions.

Masai Russell discovered that she would be able to accomplish a lot more in the 100m hurdles when she claimed gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics – the outdoor 100m hurdles that propelled her to the top of the podium in just 12.33s. 2025 promised more success in that endeavor and delivered too.

Taking to Instagram, she put forth a Q&A session for the fans through her Story. And one of the fans asked her about her goals for the upcoming indoor season. But Russell’s response was burning with the fuel to accomplish beyond just indoor tracks.

“Just finished running 7 weeks ago, Indoor will not see me this year.”

And it was as if her 2025 outdoor campaign was already a prelude to her future. She stormed through the year with a blistering 12.17s to snag the American 100m hurdles record at the Grand Slam Track in Miami. Thereafter, she sealed her season with a composed, confident win in the 100mH, clocking in 12.57s at ATHLOS just seven weeks ago.

Hence, the decision seems like a strategic pause before an even bigger push outdoors, where she now seems poised to redefine her limits.

It’s also a declaration that marks a dramatic break from her usual rhythm. Since stepping into the professional arena, the indoor circuit has been her playing field, the place where she sharpened her speed and carved out her progression. She began her professional journey with a bronze medal in the 60mH at the 2024 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque. Later on, she captured fourth place at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow. 

2026 would be the first year for Russell, where she would step away from the indoor games entirely. No 60m hurdles, no early-season tune-ups, no title defenses. This time, Russell is choosing rest, recalibration, and a sharper outdoor focus.

But this certainly isn’t the first time Masai Russell has decided to step away from the Indoor Championships. 

Masai Russell skipped the World Indoor Championships in 2025

After winning the US Indoor Track and Field Championships in New York, she openly addressed the growing weight of the nonstop competitive grind. Even as the newly crowned national champion, she made it clear that another appearance on the world stage wasn’t part of her plan. She acknowledged that the transition into professional life brought new demands and a necessity to prioritize long-term performance over constant participation. 

“No world indoors, what’s the reason behind that? Just because it’s very close to the outdoor season. You know, I am a professional now, so I’m not in a rush to just go back and forth from competition to competition to competition.”

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In 2025, the US Indoor Track and Field Championships concluded in New York on February 22, whereas the World Athletics Indoor Championships were scheduled to take place in Nanjing, China, between March 21-23, leaving her with no breathing space to recover.

Russell also pointed to the emotional and mental strain that comes with an unbroken competitive cycle. With her schedule intensifying and the stakes rising outdoors, rest has become its own form of preparation.

“For me personally and me mentally, I like to take a break before like spinning it up again.”

The break in this instance served her well. Withdrawing from the Worlds Indoors, gave her more room to rest and recharge with a few menial events in between for which she barely broke a sweat until the GST event in May in Miami – she became the second fastest woman in the 100mH recording a blistering pace.

Masai Russell’s decision to step back from the indoor grind reflects an athlete choosing longevity over routine. With her sights locked on outdoor glory, she’s betting on recovery, strategy, and the confidence that her best chapters are still ahead. And who knows… She might just win the 100m hurdles at the World Championships this time.