Russell made his first Australian representative appearance in 1994 in a lightweight four which competed at the 1994 Nations Cup. That same year he was selected in an Australian lightweight four which contested an U23 Trans-Tasman series against New Zealand crews.[2]
He made his Australian senior representative debut in 1999 in a lightweight pair at the World Rowing Cup II in Vienna.
.[3] The next year he gained a seat in the Australian lightweight men's eight. They rowed to first place at the World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne and then at the 2000 World Rowing Championships in Zagreb, they took the bronze medal.[3] In the heat they finished second behind the eventual gold medallists USA and won the repechage by half a length. In the final the Australians finished third behind a comfortable USA followed by the British crew who had won their heat easily.[4]
By 2002 Russell had relocated to Tasmania to further his representative aspirations. He came back into Australian contention in a lightweight pair with Tasmanian Shane Broad. They competed at the World Rowing Cup III in Munich finishing fifth and then at the 2002 World Rowing Championships in Seville where they finished in overall ninth place.[3] It was Russell's last Australian representative appearance.[3]
