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Raven Saunders

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Raven Saunders
Saunders on the podium at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1996-05-15) May 15, 1996 (age 28)
Charleston, South Carolina
Height5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Sport
Country United States
SportAthletics (track and field)
Events
College teamSouthern Illinois University Salukis, Ole Miss Rebels
Turned pro2018
Coached by
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking
  • 3rd (shot put, 2018)[1]
Personal bests
  • Shot put: 19.96 m (65 ft 5+3⁄4 in) (2021)
  • Discus: 56.85 m (186 ft 6 in) (2016)
  • Hammer: 57.97 m (190 ft 2+1⁄4 in) (2016)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo Shot put
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 2014 Eugene Shot Put
Pan American Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Edmonton Shot Put
NACAC U23 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 San Salvador Shot Put
Representing Americas
Continental Cup
Silver medal – second place 2018 Ostrava Shot Put
Updated on August 25, 2024

Raven "Hulk" Saunders (born May 15, 1996) is an American track and field athlete who competes in shot put. They were the silver medalist in women's shot put at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, throwing a distance of 19.79 m (64 ft 11 in).[2] They won four NCAA collegiate titles in shot put, both indoor and outdoor, at Southern Illinois University and University of Mississippi. They were a world junior silver medalist in 2014 and the Pan American junior champion in 2015. Saunders finished 11th in women's shot put at the 2024 Paris Olympics, throwing a distance of 17.79 m (58 ft 4+1⁄4 in).[3] They hold a personal record of 19.96 m (65 ft 5+3⁄4 in) for the shot put.

Early life

Raven Saunders was born on May 15, 1996, in Charleston, South Carolina, to Clarissa Saunders.[4][5] They have a younger sister, Tanzania.[4]

Saunders is a 2014 graduate of Burke High School in Charleston, South Carolina, where they competed in track and field. Saunders went on to attend Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale, Illinois, before transferring to the University of Mississippi in University, Mississippi, to compete for the Ole Miss Rebels track team.

Career

2011-2014: High school and junior career

Saunders started throwing shot put and discus as a ninth grader at Burke High School.[2] Their coach, Herbert Johnson, became a father figure to Saunders.[4]

During their senior year in March 2014, Saunders broke the national high school indoor record for the shot put with a mark of 17.27 m (56 ft 7+3⁄4 in); in April 2014, they broke the outdoor record for the shot put with a mark of 17.29 m (56 ft 8+1⁄2 in). They were selected as the Gatorade Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year for their efforts.[6]

Saunders placed first at the 2014 US Junior Championships,[7] and made their international debut at the 2014 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Eugene, Oregon and took the silver medal behind Guo Tianqian of China (who was Asian champion one year later).[8][9] Saunders raised funds through the internet in order to attend the meeting, which was nearly 3,000 miles away from their hometown in South Carolina.[10]

2015: Start of NCAA career at SIU, Pan Am Junior Champion

Saunders started their NCAA career at Southern Illinois University (SIU), where they won shot put titles at the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships, 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships.[11]

Saunders was the first American junior athlete to throw beyond 18 meters. They continued to improve their American junior records and broke the Missouri Valley Conference record.[12]

Saunders placed 8th at the 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and topped the podium at the 2015 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships, beating the runner-up by over 2.5 meters with a throw of 18.27 m (59 ft 11+1⁄4 in), a new Pan American Junior Championship record.[13]

2016: Transfer to Ole Miss, Rio Olympics

As a sophomore, Saunders transferred to the University of Mississippi and competed for the Ole Miss Rebels track team. They won shot put titles at the 2016 Southeastern Conference Track and Field Championships (both indoor and outdoor) and the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships, and placed 12th at 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships.[12][14]

Saunders broke the 23-year-old outdoor championship record with their shot put throw of 19.33 m (63 ft 5 in) in 2016.[15]

Saunders successfully made their first Olympic team with a throw of 19.24 m (63 ft 1+1⁄4 in) at the 2016 United States Olympic Trials, coming second only to Michelle Carter, who would go on to become the first American woman to win the gold medal in shot put at the Rio Olympics.[16]

Saunders competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, placing 5th with a throw of 19.35 m (63 ft 5+3⁄4 in).

2018-2020: Leaving Ole Miss, turning pro, injuries

In February 2018, Saunders announced they were leaving Ole Miss due to “personal and medical issues,” but that they intended to return to complete their degree.[17]

In April 2018, Saunders turned professional, launching this new phase of their career as a shot putter at the War Eagle Invitational at Auburn University with a throw of 19.56 m (64 ft 2 in).[18]

In June 2018, Saunders announced that they had signed with Nike, the same week that they finished third in shot put at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a throw of 18.74 m (61 ft 5+3⁄4 in).[19]

At the end of the 2018 season, Saunders had surgery on their elbow, followed by hip surgery in May 2019, taking them out of competition for the rest of 2019.[20] Saunders returned to competition in early 2020, taking part in only two meets before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the rest of the season.[1]

2021-2022: Tokyo Olympics, podium gesture

In June 2021, Saunders placed second in shot put at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials, with a personal best of 19.96 m (65 ft 6 in).[1][21]

On August 1, 2021, at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics, Saunders won the silver medal in shot put, with a throw of 19.79 m (64 ft 11 in).[22][23]

On the podium during the medal ceremony, Saunders raised their arms above their head and formed an “X” with their wrists, later explaining: “It’s the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet.“[24] As a result, the IOC launched a probe to whether the gesture violated Olympic rules, which prohibited athletes from "[any] kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda" in any Olympic site, including playing fields and podiums.[25]

The United States Olympic Committee defended Saunders' gesture, stating that it did not breach its rules as it was a "peaceful expression in support of racial and social justice that was respectful of [their] competitors."[26]

On August 3, it was announced that Saunders’ mother Clarissa had passed away at an Olympics watch party in Florida for athletes’ families.[27] The next day, the IOC suspended its investigation into Saunders' gesture on the podium.[28][29][30]

In October 2021, Saunders had another surgery on their hip.[31] Nine months later, they returned to compete at the 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, placing 4th in shot put with a throw of 18.95 m (62 ft 2 in) and missing out on competing at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.[1]

Disappointed with their performance, Saunders announced in July 2022 that they would be taking the rest of the year off in order to fully recuperate from hip surgery, with the intention of returning for indoor meets in early 2023 and the goal of qualifying for the 2023 World Athletics Championship.[32]

2023: Suspension by US doping agency

In March 2023, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) suspended Saunders until February 2024 for having three “whereabouts failures” in a year, either through missing doping tests or improperly filing paperwork.[33][34] The suspension meant that Saunders would have to miss the 2023 World Championships, but would be eligible to compete at the 2024 Olympics.

Saunders released a statement saying that they "accepted full responsibility for their failure to update their whereabouts according to the prescribed procedure on multiple occasions” and that they intended to spend the duration of their suspension focusing on their mental health and training in preparation for the Paris Games.[34] The statement further acknowledged that Saunders had been under added pressure following their hip surgery in 2021 and new family responsibilities after the death of their mother, in addition to the demands of being an elite athlete, but that they were committed to their career and to using their platform to raise awareness about mental health issues.[35]

2024: Paris Olympics

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Saunders qualified for the shot put final with a throw of 18.62 m (61 ft 1 in).[36] In the final, Saunders finished 11th with a top throw of 17.79 m (58 ft 4+1⁄4 in).[3]

Personal life

Saunders identifies as non-binary and queer, having come out to their mother as queer in the third grade.[37][38][39]

Saunders has been outspoken about their struggles with depression and suicidal ideation.[20][40] They have worked as an advocate for racial justice, mental health, and animal rights for bovines, especially bulls.[41]

Competition history

International competitions

Representing the  United States
Year Competition Venue Position Event Result Notes
2014 World Junior Championships Eugene, Oregon 2nd Shot put 16.63 m (54 ft 6+1⁄2 in) —
2015 Pan American Junior Championships Edmonton, Canada 1st Shot put 18.27 m (59 ft 11+1⁄4 in) CR
2016 NACAC U23 Championships San Salvador, El Salvador 1st Shot put 18.49 m (60 ft 7+3⁄4 in) —
Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 5th Shot put 19.35 m (63 ft 5+3⁄4 in) SB
2017 World Championships London, United Kingdom 10th Shot put 17.86 m (58 ft 7 in) —
2018 Continental Cup Ostrava, Czech Republic 2nd Shot put 19.74 m (64 ft 9 in) SB
2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 2nd Shot put 19.79 m (64 ft 11 in) —
2024 Olympic Games Paris, France 11th Shot put 17.79 m (58 ft 4+1⁄4 in) —

National competitions

Year Competition Venue Position Event Result Notes
2014 USA Junior Championships Eugene, Oregon 1st Shot put 17.02 m (55 ft 10 in) —
2015 USA Championships Eugene, Oregon 8th Shot put 17.85 m (58 ft 6+3⁄4 in) —
USA Junior Championships Eugene, Oregon 1st Shot put 17.01 m (55 ft 9+1⁄2 in) —
2016 United States Olympic Trials Eugene, Oregon 2nd Shot put 19.24 m (63 ft 1+1⁄4 in) —
2017 USA Championships Sacramento, California 1st Shot put 19.76 m (64 ft 9+3⁄4 in) SB
2018 USA Championships Des Moines, Iowa 3rd Shot put 18.74 m (61 ft 5+3⁄4 in) —
2021 United States Olympic Trials Eugene, Oregon 2nd Shot put 19.96 m (65 ft 5+3⁄4 in) PB SB
2022 USA Championships Eugene, Oregon 4th Shot put 18.95 m (62 ft 2 in) SB
2024 United States Olympic Trials Eugene, Oregon 2nd Shot put 19.90 m (65 ft 3+1⁄4 in) SB

NCAA competitions

Representing Southern Illinois University and University of Mississippi
Year Competition Venue Position Event Result Team Notes
2015 Division I Indoor Championships Fayetteville, Arkansas 1st Shot put 18.62 m (61 ft 1 in) Southern Illinois University SB
Division I Championships Eugene, Oregon 1st Shot put 18.35 m (60 ft 2+1⁄4 in) Southern Illinois University —
2016 Division I Indoor Championships Birmingham, Alabama 12th Shot put 16.59 m (54 ft 5 in) University of Mississippi —
Division I Championships Eugene, Oregon 1st Shot put 19.33 m (63 ft 5 in) University of Mississippi —
2017 Division I Indoor Championships College Station, Texas 1st Shot put 19.56 m (64 ft 2 in) University of Mississippi CR
Division I Championships Eugene, Oregon 4th Shot put 17.47 m (57 ft 3+3⁄4 in) University of Mississippi —

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Raven SAUNDERS | Profile | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Raven Saunders". Team USA. Archived from the original on July 30, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Graham, Pat (August 9, 2024). "Raven Saunders, the mask-wearing shot putter, finishes 11th in Olympic final". AP News. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "FEATURE: Inside the Life of Raven Saunders". Ole Miss Athletics - Hotty Toddy. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  5. ^ "Raven Saunders". www.teamusa.com. June 25, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  6. ^ Raven Saunders. Gatorade. Retrieved on 2016-07-14.
  7. ^ 2014 USA Junior Championships Results – 7/5/2014 to 7/6/2014 Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon USATF. Retrieved on August 5, 2016.
  8. ^ Robinson, Javier Clavelo (2014-07-26). Report: women's shot put – IAAF World Junior Championships, Oregon 2014. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-07-14.
  9. ^ China add four gold on final day to finish on top at Asian Championships. IAAF (2015-06-07). Retrieved on 2016-07-14.
  10. ^ Raven's one shot. Spikes Magazine (2014-08-05). Retrieved on 2016-07-14.
  11. ^ "Raven Saunders at Southern Illinois". Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS). Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  12. ^ a b Raven Saunders Archived August 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Ole Miss Rebels. Retrieved on 2016-07-14.
  13. ^ Clavelo Robinson, Javier (2015-08-03)Aguilar breaks world junior javelin record at Pan American Junior Championships. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-07-14.
  14. ^ Ole Miss Rebels Raven Saunders TFRRS.org. Retrieved on August 5, 2016.
  15. ^ Mulkeen, Jon (2016-06-11). Lawson and Brazier rewrite history at NCAA Championships. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-07-14.
  16. ^ Hartsell, Jeff (2016-07-08). Burke’s Raven Saunders on Olympic dream: ‘It’s crazy’. Post and Courier. Retrieved on 2016-07-14.
  17. ^ Sully, Kevin (February 6, 2018). "NCAA Champion Shot Putter Raven Saunders Leaves Ole Miss For Health Reasons". FloTrack. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  18. ^ Hartsell, Jeff (April 25, 2018). "Charleston native and Olympian Raven Saunders is back, and she's turned pro". Post and Courier. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  19. ^ Hartsell, Jeff (June 24, 2018). "Charleston's Raven Saunders signs with Nike, finishes third at USA track and field championships". Post and Courier. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  20. ^ a b "The Edge | SPIKES | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  21. ^ Tripp, Drew (June 25, 2021). "Charleston's Raven Saunders makes U.S. Olympic team again with record shot put". WCIV. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  22. ^ "Athletics – Final Results". Tokyo Olympics Official Site. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  23. ^ "Internet favorite Raven Saunders wins silver in women's shot put final". uk.sports.yahoo.com. August 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  24. ^ "Incredible Raven: Saunders lends her voice to the Olympics". AP News. August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  25. ^ Nuñez, Xcaret (August 4, 2021). "The IOC Has Suspended Its Investigation Into Raven Saunders' Podium Demonstration". NPR. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  26. ^ "Raven Saunders' gesture on Olympic podium legal, U.S. committee says - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  27. ^ Renaud, Tim (August 3, 2021). "Mother of local Olympian Raven Saunders has died, family says". Count On 2 News. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  28. ^ Ganguly, Sudipto (August 2, 2021). "IOC says looking into gesture used by U.S. athlete Saunders on podium". Reuters. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  29. ^ Núñez, Xcaret (August 4, 2021). "The IOC Has Suspended Its Investigation Into Raven Saunders' Podium Demonstration". NPR. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  30. ^ Chen, Shawna (August 5, 2021). "IOC suspends investigation into Raven Saunders' gesture". Axios. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  31. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  32. ^ @GiveMe1Shot (July 6, 2022). "Thank you all for supporting me this year". X. Retrieved August 24, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ "Raven Saunders gets 18-month ban for missed doping tests". AP News. March 15, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  34. ^ a b "Raven Saunders, Olympic shot put medalist, banned until 2024". NBC Sports. March 15, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  35. ^ Raven Saunders suspended for missed drug tests
  36. ^ Pells, Eddie; Graham, Pat (August 8, 2024). "Raven Saunders, the masked shot putter who won silver in Tokyo, qualifies for final". AP News. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  37. ^ Lichtenstein, Isabelle (July 27, 2020). "Olympian Raven Saunders Gets Candid About Mental Health, Racism, And Queerness". GO Magazine. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  38. ^ Naughton, Philippe (August 8, 2024). "Announcer Misgenders Pioneering U.S. Olympics Shot-Putter". The Daily Beast. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  39. ^ Zeigler, Cyd. "Raven Saunders came out to mom in 3rd grade, now on Team USA". OutSports. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  40. ^ "Raven Saunders: What the Olympian's X protest means to her". BBC News. August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  41. ^ Futterman, Matthew; Minsberg, Talya; Chen, David W. (August 1, 2021). "Shot-Putter's Gesture Renews Controversy Over Podium Protests". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
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