Why does US shot putter Raven Saunders wear a mask while competing? All about the American athlete's pursuits at the Paris Olympics

Raven Saunders rose to fame at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by clinching the silver medal in the women's shot put. China's Lijiao Gong took top honors with a mammoth throw of 20.58 meters, while Saunders settled for second place with a 19.79 meters effort.

New Zealand's Valerie Adams (19.62 meters) took home the bronze.

While some athletes are known to have their quirky routines and rituals while competing, Saunders – who uses they/them pronouns – stands out for covering their face with a mask during competitions. It began as a ritual before the Tokyo Olympics and has continued since. They first made waves with a facemask that depicted the fictional superhero Hulk, which is also their nickname.

Saunders said (via Yahoo Sports):

"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 compartmentalize, 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," they added.

A four-time NCAA champion and three-time Olympian, Sanders got used to wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic and decided to keep it up. They reasoned that it helps them focus and avoid talking to other competitors.

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Raven Saunders qualifies for women's shot put final at Paris Olympics

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Raven Saunders switched to wearing a full-faced black mask and bronze sunglasses. They dyed their hair neon green on one side and purple on the other.

Raven Saunders in action at the 2024 Paris Olympics - Getty Images

On Thursday, Saunders recorded 17.93 meters on their second and 18.62 meters on their third throw to secure a spot in the final, which is set to take place on Friday.

Having missed the 2023 World Championships when they were suspended for 18 months for missing three doping tests within a year, they will be hoping to aim for the top spot on this year's podium when they take to the field.