Kentucky freshman standout tries to become third individual in meet history to earn second medal in women’s 400 hurdles, along with possibly joining fellow Americans Tonya Williams and Queen Claye as only female athletes to podium in both hurdling finals

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

During a high school career filled with several impressive achievements, including contributing to multiple record-setting relays at Bullis School in Maryland, the final race Masai Russell ran last year before arriving at the University of Kentucky was perhaps the toughest to endure.

Russell missed securing a spot on the U.S. national team roster to compete in the women’s 400-meter hurdles at the IAAF World U-20 Championships by 0.03 seconds, placing third at the USATF U-20 Outdoor final, a race in which only the top two finishers automatically advanced to participate in Tampere, Finland.

Even more disappointing for Russell was the fact that she represented the U.S. in 2017 at the Pan American U-20 Championships in Trujillo, Peru, earning a bronze medal by running 57.55 seconds in the 400 hurdles.

Not only did Russell use that difficult setback last summer as motivation throughout her freshman year with the Wildcats, when it came time to compete in her final USATF U-20 Championships in June, she not only erased past frustration, but doubled her pleasure in the process.

Russell finished second June 23 in both the 100 and 400 hurdles in Miramar, Fla., becoming the first American female athlete since Queen Claye in 2007 to have the opportunity to compete in both events at the Pan American U-20 Championships at National Stadium in San Jose, Costa Rica.

“It’s amazing. I really fulfilled the dream I came to do,” Russell said. “I’m going to Costa Rica, that was the goal, to come back with a (Team USA) bag. I didn’t get to do that last year, so I knew I had a job to fulfill this year and I did it.”

Russell ran a personal-best 56.78 seconds in the 400 hurdles final to place second behind Mills Godwin VA graduate Britton Wilson, who also ran a lifetime-best 56.36. Wilson, a Tennessee signee, elevated from fifth place last year in Bloomington, Ind., to capture the title.

“She’s great competition,” Wilson said. “We push each other. I love running against (Masai) and I’ll see her next year as well.”

Russell, who ran 13.35 seconds in the 100 hurdles prelims, clocked 13.42 in the final in her third race during a 90-minute span to finish behind Greater Atlanta Christian GA junior Jasmine Jones, who prevailed in a personal-best 13.19.

“It was super demanding, but you just have to take one race at a time,” Russell said. “I just thought about getting through the 100 hurdles (prelims), then walk back and go do the 400 hurdles and then just find a way to get top two in that last (100 hurdles) race. It was all about scheduling it race by race and not thinking about too much.

“It was a little bit overwhelming, but it is what I train for. I’ve been training since September, doing 600s, 500s, 400s, so my coaches said, ‘You’re built for this, you’re trained for this, so just go out there and do what you know how to do, and you’ll be successful.’ And that actually happened, so I’m super happy for all my results.”

After capturing eight New Balance National titles during her prep career, Russell earned All-America first-team honors contributing to Kentucky’s 4x400 relay at both the NCAA Division 1 indoor and outdoor finals, benefiting from the guidance during her first year in Lexington from veteran coaches Lonnie Greene and Tim Hall.

Russell also placed 13th in the 400 hurdles June 6 in Austin, Texas, clocking 57.76 in the NCAA Division 1 semifinals, which created even more desire to eclipse the 57-second barrier for the first time in Florida.

“I always want to better myself in everything that I do, so it was just about following my coaches and listening to everything that they say because they know what’s best,” Russell said. “Coach Greene said I could make it in both. Coach Hall said I could make it in both. I just had to believe in myself and I knew I could make it in both and the results came. It’s very satisfying to make my last Junior team (due to age eligibility). It’s good to make it in both for my last one.”

Russell is one of four U.S. athletes with an opportunity to compete in multiple individual events in Costa Rica, along with Kentucky teammate Joshua Sobota participating in the men’s discus throw and shot put. Tedreauna Britt of Ole Miss is entered in the women’s discus and shot put, with Houston Strake Jesuit TX graduate and Georgia signee Matthew Boling competing in the men’s 100 and 200 meters.

Only two female athletes, both Americans, have medaled in both hurdling events in the same year in Pan American U-20 Championships history. Tonya Williams won gold in the 400 hurdles and captured silver in the 100 hurdles in 1993, with Claye – then Queen Harrison – duplicating the feat in 2007.

Russell is also looking to become the third individual in meet history to secure a second medal in the women’s 400 hurdles, joining a pair of Jamaicans. Wynsome Cole grabbed silver in 1991, followed by bronze in 1993, with Danielle Dowie earning bronze in 2009, before improving to silver in 2011.

“It’s just amazing to be mentioned with those great group of ladies who accomplished that goal, so it makes me very happy,” Russell said. “I’m definitely looking to lower both of my times in those events. I’m looking for sub-13 and possibly sub-56 in Costa Rica. I know it’s in me, I’ve just got to keep working hard and do what I know I can do.”

Russell enters Friday’s 100 hurdles equal to No. 4 among World U-20 performers this year following her 13.18-second effort May 11 at the Southeastern Conference Championships, with Jones ranked No. 6.

In the 400 hurdles, Wilson is equal to No. 3 among World U-20 athletes this season, with Russell ranked No. 7 entering Saturday’s semifinals.

Although American female athletes have swept the top two spots in the 100 hurdles seven times in meet history – including 2017 in Peru – they have managed to capture gold and silver in the 400 hurdles just once in the same year, only achieving the feat in 1993 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Ending that drought will be another source of motivation for Russell. Her patience and perseverance have already been rewarded once this summer, now she just wants her last race in Costa Rica before returning to Kentucky to end on a positive note.

“It shows how much I’ve grown in the past two years from when I made my first team and shows how much I’ve improved throughout my years of running,” Russell said. “I’ve had the experience and I have everything under my belt, so I knew I could do it. And I know I can still do better, of course, because that’s always the goal.”