Raven Saunders facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Raven Saunders

Saunders on the podium at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
Personal information
Nationality	American
Born	(1996-05-15) May 15, 1996 (age 29) Charleston, South Carolina
Height	5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Athletics (track and field)
Event(s)	Shot put Discus
College team	Southern Illinois University Salukis, Ole Miss Rebels
Turned pro	2018
Coached by	Herbert Johnson (2011-2014) Connie Price-Smith (2015-2017)
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking	3rd (shot put, 2018)
Personal best(s)	Shot put: 19.96 m (65 ft 5.70177166 in) (2021) Discus: 56.85 m (186 ft 6.06397638 in) (2016) Hammer: 57.97 m (190 ft 2.15846457 in) (2016)
Medal record Women's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Silver 2020 Tokyo Shot put World Junior Championships Silver 2014 Eugene Shot Put Pan American Junior Championships Gold 2015 Edmonton Shot Put NACAC U23 Championships Gold 2016 San Salvador Shot Put Representing Americas Continental Cup Silver 2018 Ostrava Shot Put
Updated on August 25, 2024.

Raven "Hulk" Saunders (born May 15, 1996) is an American track and field athlete. They are known for competing in the shot put event. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, they won a silver medal in women's shot put. Their throw was 19.79 m (64 ft 11.00885827 in) meters.

Saunders has won four major college titles in shot put. These include both indoor and outdoor championships. They competed for Southern Illinois University and the University of Mississippi. In 2014, they earned a silver medal at the World Junior Championships. The next year, they became the Pan American junior champion. Saunders also competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing 11th. Their personal best throw in shot put is 19.96 m (65 ft 5.70177166 in) meters.

About Raven Saunders

Raven Saunders was born on May 15, 1996. Their birthplace is Charleston, South Carolina. They have a younger sister named Tanzania.

Saunders graduated from Burke High School in 2014. There, they started their track and field journey. After high school, they attended Southern Illinois University. Later, they moved to the University of Mississippi. They competed for the Ole Miss Rebels track team.

Raven's Athletic Journey

High School and Early Success (2011-2014)

Raven Saunders began throwing shot put and discus in ninth grade. Their high school coach, Herbert Johnson, was a very important mentor to them.

In March 2014, during their senior year, Saunders set a new national high school indoor record for shot put. Their throw was 17.27 m (56 ft 7.79625985 in) meters. The next month, they broke the outdoor record with a throw of 17.29 m (56 ft 8.58366142 in) meters. For these achievements, Saunders was named the Gatorade Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Saunders won first place at the 2014 US Junior Championships. They then made their first international appearance at the 2014 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Eugene, Oregon. They earned a silver medal there. Saunders even raised money online to travel to this competition.

College Career and Junior Champion (2015)

Saunders started their college career at Southern Illinois University (SIU). In 2015, they won several shot put titles. These included the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championships. They also won the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships.

Saunders became the first American junior athlete to throw over 18 meters. They kept improving their American junior records. They also broke the Missouri Valley Conference record.

At the 2015 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships, Saunders won gold. They threw 18.27 m (59 ft 11.16633859 in) meters. This was a new record for the event. They beat the second-place athlete by more than 2.5 meters.

Transferring and Olympic Debut (2016)

As a sophomore, Saunders transferred to the University of Mississippi. They joined the Ole Miss Rebels track team. In 2016, they won shot put titles at the Southeastern Conference Championships. They also won the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Saunders broke a 23-year-old record at the NCAA Outdoor Championship. Their shot put throw was 19.33 m (63 ft 4.89862205 in) meters.

Saunders qualified for their first Olympic team. They placed second at the 2016 United States Olympic Trials. Their throw was 19.24 m (63 ft 1.35531496 in) meters. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Saunders finished 5th. They threw 19.35 m (63 ft 5.68602363 in) meters.

Becoming a Professional Athlete (2018-2020)

In February 2018, Saunders announced they were leaving Ole Miss. They planned to return later to finish their degree.

In April 2018, Saunders became a professional athlete. They started this new phase of their career at the War Eagle Invitational. They threw 19.56 m (64 ft 1.95374016 in) meters.

In June 2018, Saunders signed with Nike. That same week, they finished third at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Their throw was 18.74 m (61 ft 5.67027559 in) meters.

Saunders had elbow surgery in late 2018. Then, in May 2019, they had hip surgery. These surgeries kept them from competing for the rest of 2019. They returned to competition in early 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic canceled most of the season.

Tokyo Olympics and Beyond (2021-2022)

In June 2021, Saunders placed second at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials. They achieved a personal best throw of 19.96 m (65 ft 6 in).

On August 1, 2021, at the Tokyo Olympics, Saunders won a silver medal. Their throw was 19.79 m (64 ft 11 in). During the medal ceremony, Saunders made an "X" gesture with their wrists. They later explained it represented "the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet."

After the Olympics, Saunders had another hip surgery in October 2021. They returned to compete in June 2022. At the 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, they placed 4th. They threw 18.95 m (62 ft 2 in). Saunders decided to take the rest of 2022 off to recover fully. They planned to return in 2023 to qualify for the World Championships.

Focusing on Health (2023)

In March 2023, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) suspended Saunders. This was due to issues with their "whereabouts filings" for drug testing. The suspension meant they would miss the 2023 World Championships. However, they would be able to compete at the 2024 Olympics.

Saunders stated they accepted responsibility for the issue. They planned to use the time to focus on their mental health and training. They also wanted to raise awareness about mental health issues for athletes.

Paris Olympics (2024)

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Saunders qualified for the shot put final. Their qualifying throw was 18.62 m (61 ft 0.94586615 in) meters. In the final competition, Saunders finished in 11th place. Their best throw in the final was 17.79 m (58 ft 4.26870079 in) meters.

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 6.59940945 in)	N/A
2015	Pan American Junior Championships	Edmonton, Canada	1st	Shot put	18.27 m (59 ft 11.16633859 in)	CR
2016	NACAC U23 Championships	San Salvador, El Salvador	1st	Shot put	18.49 m (60 ft 7.82775591 in)	N/A
	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	5th	Shot put	19.35 m (63 ft 5.68602363 in)	SB
2017	World Championships	London, United Kingdom	10th	Shot put	17.86 m (58 ft 7.02460630 in)	N/A
2018	Continental Cup	Ostrava, Czech Republic	2nd	Shot put	19.74 m (64 ft 9.04035433 in)	SB
2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	2nd	Shot put	19.79 m (64 ft 11.00885827 in)	N/A
2024	Olympic Games	Paris, France	11th	Shot put	17.79 m (58 ft 4.26870079 in)	N/A

National Competitions

NCAA Competitions

See also

In Spanish: Raven Saunders para niños