Olympic shot putter Raven Saunders sparks controversy by competing in mask, sunglasses | Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Raven Saunders caught the eye during the women’s shot put qualifying at the Paris Olympics on Thursday as the American looks to improve on her silver medal win at the Tokyo Games.

Saunders — who uses the first-person pronoun — wore a black mask covering his entire face and sunglasses as they attempted to reach the final. Their hair was also dyed green and purple, and they had gold clips on their teeth. “I’m in shape,” Saunders said of the costume. “I had to remind people that it’s me.”

Saunders uses his alter ego, the Hulk, when competing to deal with the pressures that come with elite-level sport. They say they empathize with the superhero’s difficult path to mastering his strength and power.

“At first, similar to the Hulk, it was difficult for me to distinguish between the two; it was difficult for me to control when the Hulk would appear or not appear.” They told Yahoo Sports In 2021. “But through my journey, especially dealing with mental health and things like that, I learned how to compartmentalize things, the same way that Bruce Banner learned to control the Hulk, and learned how to let him out at the right moments and in that way also gave him a sign of peace of mind. But when the Hulk came out, the Hulk was breaking everything that needed to be broken.”

The 28-year-old has taken to wearing masks during Covid restrictions and continues to do so, saying it helps them focus and avoid talking to other competitors who might be distracting them during encounters.

Saunders, who is black and gay, made an “X” with his wrists on the podium when they received the silver medal in Tokyo. Saunders, who has been an advocate for LGBT rights and mental health awareness, said the gesture represented “an intersection where all oppressed people come together,” adding that they hope the medal will help “people around the world who are fighting and don’t have the platform to speak up for themselves.”

The International Olympic Committee launched an investigation into the gesture, banning athletes from protesting on the podium in Tokyo, but Saunders was not punished.

Saunders, who enjoys playing the piano in his spare time, made his Olympic debut in Rio, finishing fifth before winning a silver medal in Tokyo. The American was also a talented basketball player before focusing on track and field in college.

“I had dreams of playing basketball. I started doing shot put as a way to help with basketball,” Saunders says. “I didn’t think much of it, but I had been playing basketball since third grade. I was thinking about moving to Florida with one of my cousins ​​before I started doing shot put. So it gave me a reason to stay home and train.”

Saunders’ third attempt of 18.62m on Thursday qualified her for Friday’s final. Canada’s Sarah Mitton topped the heats with 19.77m. But the surprise came elsewhere in the heats when American Olympic champion Chase Jackson failed to make the final. Jackson made errors on her first two attempts and her third attempt of 17.60m was not enough to advance. “I don’t really know what happened. I think the pressure got to me. I don’t have much to say about it. I just want to get back to my family,” Jackson said.

Saunders was banned for 18 months for missing three doping tests and missed the 2023 World Championships. The ban expires in February 2024, allowing him to compete in Paris.

Saunders said they struggled with their mental health in the run-up to the Games but hopes to inspire others.

“I said honestly that if I made this team, and when I made this team, it was for the people,” Saunders said. “It was for the people who reminded me of who I was when I was down, when I was out, when I was suspended.”

As for the dress code for the final on Friday, Saunders said they already have some ideas. “I have something better,” he added.