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Masai Russell reflected on her second professional season in the track and field circuit. The 25-year-old turned pro in 2023 and has been one of the constant top-performing hurdlers in the world, even winning an Olympic gold medal in her first year as a pro last year.
Coming off the gold medal, Russell had a mixed season in 2025, filled with ups and downs. She explained her feelings about this second pro year a few days after concluding the season with the Athlos NYC.
How Did Masai Russell Reflect on Her Second Professional Track and Field Season?
Russell’s 2025 season was marked by her victories at the US Outdoor Championships and clinching podium finishes in Diamond League events in Lausanne and Silesia. However, she also faced disappointment at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where she missed the podium after finishing 4th.
Reflecting on her season, Russell shared a post on her Instagram, expressing her gratitude for the highs and lows. She also mentioned the achievements she conquered in 2025, including becoming the fastest American hurdler with a run time of 12.17 seconds, which she achieved at the Miramar leg of the Grand Slam Track. She wrote:
“2nd Professional Season in the Books 🙏🏽 As I wrap up my second professional year, this year I felt the need to prove myself being the reigning Olympic champion & I have to say while proving to the world my worth I proved to myself I am exactly who I think I am 💯I’ve faced injuries, losses, and uncertainty, but through it all, I’ve never lost sight of the goal and who I am.”
“This season, I broke the American record. I became the second-fastest woman in history and the only woman to run 12.1 seconds twice. Grateful for every high and low. See yall on the track in 2026, yktv🫡”
Notably, in her last track meet of the season at the Athlos NYC, Russell got a handsome grab of $60,000 after winning the 100m hurdles. She clocked a run time of 12.52 seconds, beating the likes of Grace Stark, Alaysha Johnson, and Tonea Marshall.
Russell expressed her happiness after winning the 100m hurdles at the second edition of Alexis Ohanian’s Athlos NYC. She missed out on a top-podium finish last season after finishing 3rd. In an interview with FloTrack, the 25-year-old stated that she is happy to conclude her season the way she did in Athlos and not in the same fashion as Tokyo. She said:
“I’m feeling happy, I’m feeling blessed. I’m thankful and now I can end the season and like breathe because I couldn’t end my season on the way that I did in Tokyo.”
The Washington-born athlete also received the honor of receiving the Tiffany & Co. crown from tennis legend Serena Williams during Athlos 2025.
