Paris 2024 Olympics: Masai Russell’s nightmare evening of sleep gives way to golden Olympic ‘dream come true’
Masai Russell couldn’t hold back the tears.
It has been a roller-coaster year for the new Olympic champion in the 100m hurdles at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, who just a year ago had little experience on the international stage having just finished her collegiate career at the University of Kentucky.
As she stepped on to the top of the Olympic podium, the Baltimore native let the emotions out, wiping away the tears as the gold medal was draped around her neck and the American national anthem began playing.
“I don’t want to say that I was in shock, but it’s literally a dream come true,” said Russell, 24, after the win, which made her the fifth American women to claim the Olympic 100m hurdles title.
A dream after what was a nightmare evening of sleep - or lack thereof.
“I couldn’t sleep last night because I kept tossing and turning, hearing my name coming up as No. 1,” she said. “When it actually came up, I was like, ‘Stop playing with me!’”
Since leaving Kentucky in the summer of 2023, Russell had a span of months of missing the podium in the 100m hurdles, including a ninth-place finish at the Prefontaine Classic in May after being sixth at a Diamond League stop the month prior.
She has always kept the belief, however.
“I’m the fourth-fastest woman ever in this event,” said Russell. “It wasn’t about knowing if I could or couldn’t. It was really about keeping the focus on what I could do and honestly just get through those 10 hurdles and get to the line first.”
Masai Russell: ‘This is exactly what I imagined’
Just over a year ago, in June of 2023, Russell sat down with Olympics.com for a one-on-one interview on the eve of turning professional. She didn’t know that bumps in the road that would lie ahead, but she did have a steadfast belief that she would find smooth track when she needed to.
“I just know that once the day comes, you have to show up,” she said then, at the NCAA Championships. “We all go to start at the same line and whoever comes to the finish line first, second or third is going to be walking away with something.”
She addressed the negativity she has faced online and beyond in June at the U.S. Olympic Trials, where she beat out an American field that featured Olympic medalist and world-record holder Keni Harrison - and snapped Gail Devers’ 30-year-old record, clocking a 12.25 - which still stands as the fastest time this year.
It wasn’t a fluke.
She arrived in Paris among the favorites’ discussion in a field that featured the reigning Olympic champion in Jasmine Camacho-Quinn. She steadily improved her speed each round, and lined up on the track just as she said she did 14 months ago - at the same starting line as everyone else.
She was in fifth for much of the race, and as they cleared hurdle nine, Russell was still back in fourth.
But she would cross the line first. Then wait to have the result confirmed.
“When found out, I just took off running... because this is exactly what I imagined,” she said.
A dream no more. Now just reality.