Russo is an S13 classified swimmer.[2][4][5] He started competing in swimming in 1995 as a result of asthma.[2] He made his national team debut in 2010 at the IPC Swimming World Championships, competing in the 100m backstroke where he earned a bronze medal. At the event, he also set Australian records in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly events.[2]
He was a member of the Australian team competing at the Dutch hosted 2011 IPC World Swimming Championships.[6] Finishing with a personal best time of 1:02.52 in the men's 100m backstroke, he earned a silver medal.[4]
At the 2012 Australian national championships, he finished first in the men's 50m backstroke multi-disability event.[3] He was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in swimming[5][7] in seven events: the Men's 100 m Backstroke S13, 100 m Breaststroke SB13, 100 m Butterfly S13, 100 m Freestyle S13, 200 m Individual Medley SM13, 400 m Freestyle S13 and 50 m Freestyle S13.[8] He set an Oceania Record in the 100 m Backstroke S13.[9]
At the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, he won a bronze medal in Men's 100 m Backstroke S13.[10] He finished fifth in the Men's 100m Breaststroke SB13, seventh in the Men's 200m Individual Medley SM13 and ninth in the Men's 400m Freestyle S13.[11]
Russo competed at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and competed in six events. He placed seventh in Men's 100m Breaststroke SB13, fifth in the Men's 100m Backstroke S13 and sixth in Men's 200m Individual Medley SM13. He also competed in Men's 50m Freestyle S13, Men's 100m Freestyle S13 and Men's 100m Butterfly S13 but didn't progress to the finals.[13]