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American Olympic champion Masai Russell recently opened up about withdrawing from the upcoming Grand Slam Track race in Philadelphia. The event is scheduled from Saturday, May 31, to Sunday, June 1, at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
Russell was last seen in action at the Grand Slam Track Miami, which began on May 2 and concluded on May 4 at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida. She ran in the 100m hurdles and stood atop the podium after clocking a stunning world lead and national record of 12.17s. Russell bested Tia Jones and Ackera Nugent, who secured second and third place after recording 12.19s and 12.34s, respectively.
The American was scheduled to compete in GST's next stop in Philadelphia in the 100m hurdles, where she was supposed to lock horns with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. However, just a few days ahead of the clash, Russell announced her withdrawal from the event, citing a personal setback. She shared a lengthy message on her Instagram story announcing her withdrawal.
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"I am heartbroken to share that I won't be competing in Philadelphia this weekend due to a temporary personal interruption. While this setback is tough, I'm focusing on what lies ahead and will be cheering on all the incredible athletes competing. To all my amazing fans, your support means the world to me and keeps me going every day. Wishing everyone the best of luck. Go out there and SHINE. See you in LA!" she wrote.
Masai Russell also competed in GST's first stop in Jamaica, where she competed in the 100m hurdles; however, she fell short of earning a podium finish.
Masai Russell made her feelings known about her mother being her biggest motivation
Masai Russell recently appeared on the Journey to Gold Zone podcast, which was hosted by USA Track and Field in February 2025. In it, she credited her mother, Dr. Sharon Russell, as her biggest inspiration, stating that she helped her stay motivated throughout her career.
Revealing that her mother was the first one to become a doctor in their family, she said (6:35 onwards):
“Yeah, I think for me, this is like a different answer that a lot of people probably will be confused about. But, my biggest inspiration is honestly my mother because she is a doctor. She's a black doctor. She is the first person in our family to do anything that she's ever done. And I mean, I'm kind of the same way. Like I just kind of follow her lead."
“She showed what hard work looked like. She showed what dedication looked like, even though it wasn't on the track like me. She showed what grind was…I was able to see that as a young girl. I was looking up, I looked up to my mom,” she added.
Masai Russell opened her 2025 season at the Texas Tech Corky Classic, where she competed in the 60m hurdles at the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock on January 17-18.
