Masai Russell just made history, and nobody is even surprised. Russell, the phenom from the Bullis School, has been one of the biggest names emerging in the track and field realm. Who can forget her phenomenal display at the Paris Olympics? Competing in the women’s 100m hurdles event, the Washington D.C. native clocked in at 12.33s, to secure the first position. But coming into the new season, Russell failed to live up to the hype at the Grand Slam Track. Thankfully, her lean phase did not last long. With the Miami version of GST underway, Masai Russell came back with a bang. 

Competing in the 100m hurdles in Miami, Russell created history. Dropping a blitzkrieg timing of 12.17s, Russell secured the first position. And that was not all. She also missed the world record set by Tobi Amusan back in 2022 by a whisker. Thus, Russell got her name into the history books as the second-fastest runner in the 100m hurdles discipline. Interestingly, Tia Jones, who came second, also went under the 12.20 mark. With a 12.19s tuning, both Jones and Russell beat the American record of 12.20 set by Keni Harrison back in 2016. 

Russell looked extremely elated. Speaking to the media after her race, Russell stated, “I wasn’t expecting that. I just went out there and competed. These women force you to be your best self. It brings the best out of you. I’m just floating on cloud nine right now. I continue to say l’m one of the best hurdlers ever. I’m going to always stand by that.” Now then, she was also asked whether this was her revenge from Jamaica. Russell immediately stated that there were no such things as revenge. She stated that according to her, the conditions in Jamaica did not favor her. 

Speaking about her goal coming to the GST in Miami, Russell stated, “Um, so today I know if | have the win to my back, I’m very competitive with anybody else in the world. Um, and yeah, I mean, I wanted to do better than I did from Kingston. That was the goal.” Russell then spoke about how she felt after getting the job done. The very first thought that came to her mind was the wind speed. But when she noticed that it was a legal 2.0 wind, Russell knew she had made history. Surely, this win would do her a world of good. After all, Masai Russell’s world has changed after her Olympic triumph. 

Masai Russell is proving everyone wrong and owning her spotlight

Masai Russell walked into Paris as an underdog—and walked out as an Olympic champion. Now, six months after shocking the world with her 100m hurdles gold, her life is unrecognizable. “It was like, ‘What the hell is happening right now?’” she recalled of that surreal medal moment. Since then, she’s stepped into spaces she once only dreamed of. “The rooms that I’ve been able to get into because of winning the Olympics, they have been second to none.”

In the months that followed, Masai hasn’t just collected medals—she’s amassed momentum. A roaring crowd welcomed her back at the Millrose Games in New York, where she won the 60m hurdles and soaked in the applause in a venue she once competed in as a high schooler. She added, “To be recognised as an Olympic champion in a building where I used to run as a high schooler? That meant everything.” Her presence, now magnetic, has drawn admiration from all corners, including Coco Gauff and Suni Lee—both of whom were fans of hers long before she even realized it.

But even as the spotlight intensifies, Russell’s drive remains fiercely internal. “I’m not doing this for anybody else. I’m proving everybody else wrong and proving myself right. And that’s my motto.” The world may have changed for her—but her hunger hasn’t.