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American hurdler Masai Russell has exposed the intense physical and psychological toll faced by college athletes, emphasizing inadequate support and compensation and calling for urgent changes to protect athletes' well-being.
Reigning Olympic 100m hurdles champion Masai Russell has pulled back the curtain on the physical and psychological toll faced by student-athletes.
In a candid conversation on the Sports Xposure Podcast, the 25-year-old athlete shed light on the insufficient compensation and support structures in place for college athletes who sacrifice so much for their sport.
Russell, who graduated from Bullis School in 2018 and earned a degree in Health Science from the University of Kentucky in 2023, is no stranger to hard work.
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During her time with the Kentucky Wildcats, she set the U.S. NCAA record in the 100m hurdles, a testament to her dedication and talent.
Despite her achievements, she revealed that the journey was fraught with challenges that extended beyond the track.
"When I was starting out in college, they got that stipend going, they got this, they got that," Russell recounted as quoted by SportsKeeda.
"But that stipend is not doing much exactly compared to how much mental, physical, emotional—the list goes on—strain we're under. So, I feel like you just got to be an animal; just as much as it pushes at you, you have to push back to it, or, you know, it can eat you—it can literally take your life."
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While stipends and scholarships offer some financial relief, they often fall short of addressing the comprehensive needs of student-athletes who juggle rigorous training schedules, academic responsibilities, and personal lives.
"I think more needs to be done; more help needs to be put in place for us athletes," Russell emphasized.
"It's just like, 'Alright, produce, produce, and then we're just going to move on to the next person.' I understand it's life, but these are lives that have been lost because of this entity."
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Russell's call for systemic change is not just about financial compensation but also about mental health resources and emotional support.
The pressure to perform can lead to severe stress, anxiety, and even depression, issues that are often overlooked in the competitive world of collegiate athletics.
Her concerns are amplified by her personal experiences with bullying during high school.
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With her mother occupied with medical duties as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, and later falling ill during Russell's senior year, the young athlete faced isolation and hostility from her teammates at Bullis School.
"My senior year, my mom, she was sick, and you know, the girls on the track team were hating," she shared.
"I had made Team USA, and they were mad I was wearing my USA gear. It was just like little petty things."
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Despite these challenges, Russell persevered, culminating in her historic gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Her experiences highlight the urgent need for institutions to re-evaluate how they support the athletes who bring them acclaim and revenue.
The physical and psychological demands on student-athletes are immense, and as Russell poignantly notes, the consequences of neglecting these issues can be dire.
"These are lives that have been lost because of this entity," she reiterated.
Her advocacy serves as a catalyst for much-needed conversations about the well-being of student-athletes and the systemic changes required to protect them.
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