A notable athlete competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics has been turning heads by wearing a mask during their performances.
Raven Saunders, representing Team USA, has sported a distinctive black mask paired with reflective sunglasses throughout this year’s Olympic Games.
Saunders, who identifies with they/them pronouns, made a striking appearance in the shot put event, a track and field discipline where athletes propel a heavy spherical ball, known as a ‘shot’, as far as they can.
They have advanced to the final, though bookmakers consider them an underdog—a status they are accustomed to.
The journey has been challenging for the 28-year-old, who has dyed their hair purple and green and wears gold grills over their teeth, resembling Marvel’s Hulk.
Three years ago at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Saunders won a silver medal in shot put and shared with Yahoo Sport the reasons behind wearing masks during performances.
In Japan, they wore a Hulk mask, featuring a big grin covering their teeth and mouth, and displayed their green and purple shaven hair.
Saunders explained: “I like to be my biggest supporter — I really can’t repeat [what I say] because y’all are going to have to bleep out most of the things I say anyway.
“But pretty much to sum it up I’m telling myself, ‘You got it, you got it, you’re a champion, you have to push, you gotta push, nobody is going to give it to you, you have to work, you have to grind, you gotta get it.'”
“Things like that, just a lot of positive affirmations to be able to give myself the power and be able to get done what I need to get done [without others interfering].”
Saunders secured a spot in the final with an 18.62m throw, placing seventh in the qualifying round.
So, why does Saunders wear a mask before competing?
Speaking about their outfit, Saunders said: “I’m in full form.”
The Hulk persona emerges during competitions to help them manage stress levels, and Saunders identifies with the superhero, feeling a connection due to similar challenging paths.
“Early on, similar to the Hulk, I had a tough time differentiating between the two; I had a tough time controlling when the Hulk came out or when the Hulk didn’t come out.
“But through my journey, especially dealing with mental health and things like that, I learned how to compartmentalize, the same way that Bruce Banner learned to control the Hulk, learned how to let the Hulk come out during the right moments and that way it also gave him a sign of mental peace.
“But when the Hulk came out, the Hulk was smashing everything that needed to be smashed.”
Saunders has certainly added an element of excitement to the sport!