'On track it's about me, myself and I' - Masai Russell explains why she avoids confiding in her direct competitors

'On track it's about me, myself and I' - Masai Russell explains why she avoids confiding in her direct competitors

Evans Ousuru 14:00 - 06.10.2024

The 24-year-old burgeoning star edged France's Cyrena Samba-Mayela to the gold medal by 0.01 seconds in 100m hurdles at the Paris Olympics

Olympic 100m hurdles gold medalist Masai Russell has opened up about why she does not confide in her direct competitors.

Russell, 24, clocked 12.33 seconds in Paris to bag gold in her specialty. The United States sprinter added that she only seeks advice and talks to those who are on the tail end of their careers because they have gained meaningful experience.

Russell, who edged France's Cyrena Samba-Mayela to the gold by 0.01 seconds, said: "I will never look to my competitors for a word. I  would look to someone outside my event, but not someone in my event ..unless they are A vet..like who is on their way out probably and that's just me," Russell explained.

The burgeoning star further pointed out that she trusts herself in whatever she does. She opines that she loves mentorship but only with the person she has chemistry with, precisely those older than her.

"That's the competitiveness in me. but if we actively battling it out every weekend..no, I mean me and I have to say like me and Nia Ali. She's 34,35 years old, with three kids and she still killing it but she showed me mentorship from when I was in college, so now we are both on a professional circuit," she explained.

"She is like the only person who does the same event like me. I could confide in...yeah....because you know she's been to the olympics, she's been to the world, she's been on a professional circuit for such a long time".

Russell believes Nadia's experience is a distinguishing factor that has made her traverse the world.

"Her experience is just through roof, but if we are actively competing against each other I'm not really sure".

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