Who Is Olympian Raven Saunders: All About the Masked Shot Put Star
Make no mistake: Raven Saunders isn’t one to hide behind a mask.
Because while they arrived at the 2024 Olympics shot put qualification in a full face covering and sunglasses, the U.S. athlete was proudly showing their true self.
“I’m in full form,” Saunders said during the Aug. 8 event, per The Guardian. “I had to remind the people, I am who I am.”
The 28-year-old—who advanced to the final with an 18.62-meter throw—has worn masks to several competitions, including the Hulk one they donned at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held in 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
During their event in Paris, Saunders again gave a nod to the Marvel hero by spelling out “Hulk” on their red, white and blue-painted fingernails and rocking green and purple hair. And the Olympian, who goes by Raven Hulk Saunders on Instagram, has expressed what Bruce Banner’s alter ego means to them.
“The Hulk is really a way for me to compartmentalize, talk about mental health,” they told Today during the Tokyo Games. “I talk about mental health awareness a lot, especially with my personal struggles. So for me, the mask is a way for me to channel my inner Hulk and Raven—still have fun, twerk a little bit, celebrate, dance, a little somethin’ somethin’. The Hulk? That’s beast mode right there.”
Saunders has shared their journey—both with shot put and their battles with depression, anxiety and PTSD—before.
The track and field star first entered the sport in high school after their basketball dreams didn’t work out.
“It wasn’t going to happen. I was five-foot-five as a power forward,” they shared on Olympic Highlights With Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg amid the 2020 Games. “So my basketball coach, he was like, 'Hey, you should come out for track and field. Get you some good footwork.' I think he was lying. He really just wanted me to throw.”
Saunders threw their efforts into shot put, going on to become an NCAA champion for the University of Mississippi. By their sophomore year, they had qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where they finished in fifth place.
“I was definitely riding a high,” they told PBS Voices in 2021 about the joy they felt from the achievement. “But once that high wore off and I had to face reality, that’s when things got bad.”
During the off season, Saunders continued, they found their childhood traumas and stresses coming to the forefront of their mind.
“I was battling a lot,” they added. “It was like the weight of the word was resting on my chest and there was nothing I could do about it. But I felt like I couldn’t talk to people because I had gotten to a place of such success that I wasn’t saying, ‘Hey, I’m struggling with this.’ Or, ‘Hey, I’m dealing with all these issues and problems.’”
Saunders said they became more depressed and at one point “lost all passion” for shot put. As they recalled to PBS Voices, they reached out to a therapist after experiencing suicidal ideation.
“I’m better now,” they shared. “I still suffer from depression. It’s one of those things that doesn’t just go away. But when I look at life and all that I’ve been through and all that I’ve dealt with and all that I’ve overcome, when I set foot in that stadium, I can handle anything.”
At the 2020 Olympics, Saunders won second place in shot put. While taking the podium, the silver medalist crossed their arms in an X.
“X is the intersection where people who are oppressed meet,” they said on Olympic Highlights. “We talk about intersectionalism where, for me, especially who I am and how proud I am to be who I am, you’re not going to shut me down. You’re not going to close me out.”
And as Saunders strives to be a gold medal champion at their third Olympics, they continue to be a champion for others.
"Shout out to all my Black people. Shout out to all my LGBTQ community. Shout out to all my people dealing with mental health," they said after their silver medal win in Tokyo, per The Guardian. "At the end of the day, we understand it’s bigger than us and it’s bigger than the powers that be. We understand that there’s so many people that are looking up to us, that are looking to see if we say something or if we speak up for them.”
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If you or someone you know needs help, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.