An Olympic silver medalist from the Lowcountry is capping off her 2021 with another major honor.
On Monday, Outsports named Raven "Hulk" Saunders its "Female Hero of the Year."
The website, which was founded in 1999 and focuses on LGBT issues and personalities in sports, gave Saunders the title after the shot put star launched her way onto the global platform in Tokyo.
Saunders, a Charleston native who set records at Burke High School, earned a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
She received recognition not only for her dominant performances, but for making an "X" gesture with her wrists after stepping off of the podium.
When asked about the sign, she responded, "It's the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet."
In the past, the openly gay athlete has battled mental health challenges. She continues to advocate for those struggling to reach out for help.
"It’s OK to need people, and I feel like in our community, a lot of times through history, we haven’t had access to the resources to be able to do that," Saunders told the Associated Press over the summer.
Read more about the honor from Outsports here.