Incredible look Raven Saunders is concealing behind their mask as reason behind it is explained
Topics: Sport, US News, Olympics, Fashion, Mental Health
Kya Buller
Featured Image Credit: Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Topics: Sport, US News, Olympics, Fashion, Mental Health
When watching the athletes compete during the shot put events at the 2024 Paris Olympics, many viewers were left wondering why Team USA's Raven Saunders wears a mask.
Now that that's been cleared up, they are gobsmacked to see the iconic look that lies beneath.
In case you missed it, Saunders - who identifies as non-binary - often wears decorative face masks, as they got used to wearing one during Olympic qualifying events in 2021 and 2022.
As we'll all remember, this was mid-pandemic and they were a hard and fast rule.
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Beyond this, it also stops them from getting caught up in pre-competition chat.
Now that the mystery surrounding the 28-year-old Olympian's mask has been solved - people are obsessed with the details beneath.
It turns out Saunders has incredible purple and green hair, gold and diamond grills and a gold nose ring.
It's a very powerful look.
Saunders, who has been open about struggling with mental health, also refers to themselves as The Hulk, an alter ego.
They told Yahoo: "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 compartmentalise, 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.”
As for what competing in the Olympics means to them, the athlete added: "Everything that I’ve been through mental health-wise, injuries, everything like that, financial, really being able to invest everything that I have mentally and physically ... [to] be able to walk away with a medal and inspire so many people in the LGBTQ community, so many people who have been dealing with mental health issues, so many of the African-American community, so many people who are Black all around the world, I really hope that I can inspire and motivate.”
i News report that Saunders said of their own self belief: "I like to be my biggest supporter.
"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.”
After throwing 18.62 metres, Saunders qualified for the women's shot put final which will take place tomorrow (9 August).
We're excited to see what kind of mask she will wear!