Coco Gauff celebrates Olympic champion Masai Russell's USATF Breakthrough Athlete of the Year honor

Coco Gauff lauded Masai Russell after she won the USATF's Breakthrough Athlete of the Year honor on Saturday, December 7, for her success in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Gauff defeated Zheng Qinwen to claim her first WTA Finals title in Riyadh last month, while Russell concluded her season with the 100m hurdles bronze at Athlos NYC.

Despite participating in the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events, the 21-year-old Gauff couldn't earn a podium in the French capital, ending her debut Olympic run. On December 8, 2024, she took to her Instagram story to appreciate fellow US Olympian Russell, who won the Games' 100m hurdles gold in her first full season, congratulating her on her USATF Breakthrough Performer of the Year honor with heart-eyes and confetti emojis.

Coco Gauff's Instagram story featuring Masai Russell's post - Credit: @cocogauff

After Russell's Olympic success, the 2023 US Open champion gifted her a pair of Bose earbuds. Sharing a picture of the signed package on her Instagram story, Russell wrote:

"Thank you love @cocogauff"

After her 4R exit from Wimbledon, Gauff became the youngest US athlete flag-bearer at the Paris Olympics' opening ceremony. She also became the youngest China Open champion this year, defeating Karolina Muchova in the final to clinch her eighth career singles and second WTA 1000 title.

---

Coco Gauff kicks off her 2025 season training by combining it with beach volleyball sessions

Coco Gauff playing at the WTA Finals 2024 - Day 6 - (Source: Getty)

Coco Gauff had a successful 2024 season and she will look to post similar strong finishes in 2025. In a collaborative Instagram post by the Grand Slam champion and her strength and conditioning coach, Stephane Dal Soglio, the former combines intense training with beach volleyball sessions. Her regime encompassed sprinting, reverse crunches, and bench presses.

"Pre season part 1! A little sneak peek of pre season pro athlete training. A little bit of fun, and a lot of hard work!! Let's go get it," Coco Gauff wrote.

In an X post on December 7, 2024, the former World No. 2 highlighted the intensity of her workout sessions:

"How close I am to quitting in the middle of every workout so far this preseason but quitting ain’t cute so we finish."

Besides her practice, Gauff also spent a fun-filled Thanksgiving with her cousins and friends, hosting them at her new home in Florida.