Polish sprinter Ewa Swoboda caught the attention of the crowd at the 2024 Paris Olympics with her reaction to the camera. She made a mesmerizing gesture of saluting to the camera before the women's 100m semi-final. When the 27-year-old sprinter was introduced to the crowd, she saluted to the camera with her right hand, then quickly switched to her left hand, which caused a stir.
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Eva Swoboda
She quickly realised that saluting with her right hand could be misconstrued, so she switched to her left hand, a brief but arresting moment that caught the attention of viewers and catapulted the athlete to fame.
People's reactions to her actions
On social media, people were curious as to what her gesture meant. Some saw it as a polite gesture, while others said her right hand salute looked like a military salute. Others pointed out that a simple gesture can become a talking point, especially at an international event like the Olympics. Some debated whether the gesture had a political meaning.
Swoboda made it clear on social media and in backstage interviews that her main goal in changing her arms was to eliminate any misunderstandings or suspicions associated with the military, which is why she quickly switched from her left hand to her right to avoid it being interpreted as a military symbol.
Swoboda handled the situation calmly. Although the sprinter did not make it to the final, the eight-time Polish 100m champion managed to finish fourth in the semifinals behind Melissa Jefferson, Marie-José Ta Lu and Mizinga Kambundji.
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Swoboda: Beyond Athletics
Swoboda
The Polish sprinter has a large following on social media with over 600,000 followers on Instagram. She enjoys engaging with her fans by sharing her life as a professional athlete. Additionally, she was one of nine Barbie dolls chosen by doll manufacturer Mattel to represent athletes before the Olympics.
I am so thrilled that Barbie has recognized my story and awarded me the title of Barbie Role Model along with eight other incredible female athletes from around the world. I still can't believe it. I grew up playing with dolls and now I have a Barbie doll that looks like me – the only one of its kind in the world.
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