SAINT-DENIS, France — Who was the masked figure? It was, of course, Raven Saunders — the theatrical American shot putter who uses they/them pronouns and brings their distinctive style to every competition. On Thursday, Saunders participated in the Olympics, donning a full-face black mask and bronze-colored sunglasses, with neon green hair on one side and purple on the other. Saunders refers to this look as the “Hulk” appearance, a style that makes them feel like a superhero ready to throw the 8.8-pound metal shot put.
After failing in their first throw, they achieved a distance of 17.93 meters on their second throw and 18.62 meters on their final attempt, securing a spot in Friday’s final. Saunders won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, where they crossed their arms to form an “X” with their wrists during the medal ceremony. Saunders explained that the “X” represents “the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet.”
The 28-year-old from Charleston, South Carolina, competed at Southern Illinois University before transferring to the University of Mississippi (commonly known as Ole Miss). They won NCAA shot put titles at both schools in 2015 and 2016. Saunders missed the 2023 World Championships after receiving an 18-month suspension due to three “location failures” — missed doping tests — within a 12-month period.
Raven Saunders continues to be a figure of strength and individuality, inspiring many both within and outside the sports community.