Masai Russell’s track career had always been defined by presence. She was the athlete who showed up, rain or shine, ready or hurting.
When she smashed the American 100-meter hurdles record with a blistering 12.17 seconds in Miami earlier this year, it seemed like the beginning of a dominant season. But instead of building momentum, Masai Russell was forced into an unexpected and painful pause.
What followed wasn’t a scheduled break or tactical rest. It was a sudden, frustrating silence, one that sidelined her physically and mentally. And for Masai Russell, a competitor used to constant movement, that halt hurt more than the injury itself.
Her return at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene was about far more than a result sheet. Clocking 12.50 seconds to finish fourth may not have matched her record-setting pace, but it marked a crucial checkpoint in her journey back.
“I’m blessed,” Russell shared.
In the immediate aftermath of her injury, Masai Russell admits to searching for answers, asking anyone she could, physiotherapists, coaches, fellow hurdlers. “Why now? How? And how do I make sure this never happens again?” These weren’t questions seeking sympathy. They were tactical, born from a fierce will to reclaim control of her career.
Until that injury, missing a race had been unimaginable for Russell.
“I’ve never missed a race,” she told ATHLOS.
“I show up. Regardless of if I’m ready or not, I always show up, and that’s what people know about me.”
In the days following her Miami triumph, Russell found herself unable to walk, unable to push off her toes, and ultimately sidelined for two months, a cruel irony for someone who had just broken new ground in her event.
Now, with Prefontaine behind her, Russell has her sights firmly set on the Monaco Diamond League. It’s not just another race; it’s a litmus test, a chance to measure herself against the best once again. But even that isn’t the ultimate target. The American Olympic Trials loom large, and every race between now and then is part of her careful, calculated buildup.
Russell understands how ruthless the margins are in elite track and field. There’s always another athlete ready to seize your spot. But she’s not dwelling on what was lost, only on what remains within reach. Her comeback isn’t about returning to where she was, but about forging an even stronger version of herself.