'I Have to Redeem Myself' – Masai Russell Promises Comeback After World Athletics Championships 2025 Heartbreak

Olympic gold medalist Masai Russell is determined to redeem herself after a heartbreaking fourth-place finish in the women’s 100m hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo.

Despite coming into the event as one of the favorites, Russell clocked 12.44s, narrowly missing out on a medal.

Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji took gold with a 12.24s run, while Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan and Russell’s U.S. teammate claimed silver and bronze with 12.29s and 12.34s, respectively.

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Russell, 25, has had a meteoric rise in recent years, highlighted by her gold-medal-winning run at the Paris Olympics in 2024, where she clocked 12.33s to capture the biggest victory of her career.

However, she has been candid about her desire to deliver on the world championship stage, where success has thus far eluded her.

This disappointment comes two years after a painful 2023 campaign where she crashed out in the semi-finals after hitting a hurdle. Her fourth-place finish this time was a step forward, but Russell made it clear she was aiming for nothing short of the podium.

“I feel like I have to redeem myself on the world stage. I haven't done it yet on the world stage like on the world championship stage. I feel like I've done it at the Olympics. And, you know, I feel like, you know, in 2023, I hit the hurdle and then here I came fourth. So, it was better,” Russell said in her post-race interview.

Russell admitted that her performance was an improvement from her previous Worlds appearance but still fell short of her goals.

“It's a little bit of a progression from last World Championships to now, but you know, it's not what I knew I was capable of and it wasn't what I was coming to do,” she explained.

“But, I mean, the fire never never stopped lighting even after I won the Olympics last year. So, the fire continues. The fight remains and I'm going to come back even more scared. I promise,” she added, making it clear that she sees this as motivation for future races.

Earlier in the season, Russell secured her first-ever Diamond League victory in Silesia with a blistering 12.19s run, breaking the meet record and signaling that she is among the world’s elite hurdlers.

The victory came against a stacked field featuring both Amusan and fellow American Tonea Marshall, giving Russell a major confidence boost heading into the championships.

“12.19 for the win today in Poland ❤️ First Diamond League Win & DL record 🥳💃🏽One more race in Lausanne til the big show 🙏🏽 blessed and ready for more,” Russell wrote on Instagram following the race.

Despite the disappointment in Tokyo, Russell’s season has shown steady progress.

The American now has sights set on the 2026 Diamond League races and the 2027 World Championships, and she appears more motivated than ever to turn her near-podium finish into global dominance.