All about the masked shot put star

Make no mistake: Raven Saunders He is not a person who hides behind a mask.

Because, despite showing up to the 2024 Olympic shot put qualifiers wearing full-face masks and sunglasses, the American athletes proudly showed their true colors.

“I’m in great shape,” Saunders said during the Aug. 8 event, The Guardian“I had to remind people who I am.”

The 28-year-old, who reached the final with a throw of 18.62 metres, has worn masks in several competitions, including the Hulk mask he wore at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic.

During their event in Paris, Saunders nodded to the Marvel hero again, writing “Hulk” on her red, white and blue painted nails and sporting green and purple hair. And the Olympian, who goes by the Instagram handle Raven Hulk Saunders, opened up about what Bruce Banner’s alter ego means to them.

“Hulk is really a way for me to compartmentalize, talk about mental health,” they said. Today during the Tokyo Games. “I talk a lot about mental health awareness, especially with my own 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, party, dance, a little bit of whatever…