Potomac’s Masai Russell claimed a spot Friday to compete in the women’s 100-meter hurdle final, which will be held Saturday at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Russell, 24, grabbed the final qualifying spot in her heat after placing second in the semi-finals with a time of 12.42 seconds, according to the Olympics results. In the same heat, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, 27, of Puerto Rico, the defending champion from the Tokyo games, crossed the finish line first with a time of 12.35 seconds.
Russell will be in lane 5 when the race starts Saturday, with fellow U.S. teammates Grace Stark and Alaysha Johnson on either side. The race will take place at 1:35 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Russell is a 2018 graduate of Potomac’s Bullis School, which is also where Quincy Wilson, 16, the youngest male U.S. track and field Olympian in history, attends school. Wilson, a rising junior at Bullis, will compete in the U.S. men’s 4×400 relay final, scheduled for 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday.
On Wednesday, Russel claimed a spot in the semi-finals after winning her first-ever Olympic race with a time of 12.52 seconds, On3 reported.
Russell earned her spot on the U.S. Olympic Track and Field team in June after finishing in first place and setting an Olympic trials record at 12.25 seconds at the trials in Eugene, Oregon. Her time broke a 24-year-old meet record that had been held by Gail Devers (12.33 seconds).
After the trials race, Russell spoke to NBC’s Lewis Johnson about securing her spot to compete in the Paris Olympics.
“I have so many emotions because this has been the hardest season of my life. People were doubting me. Talking about ever since I signed with Nike I’ve been trash,” Russell said. “Just saying all these things about me. But I just stayed true to myself, my work and my craft and this is all God.”