A Chinese Olympic swimmer is making waves on social media with his runway-worthy “swagger” during a swimming event at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Several videos, particularly a viral clip from @ijustlovelipbalm, have taken TikTok by storm, racking up an impressive 16.6 million views in just four days after its July 29 upload.
The clip features Qin Haiyang, the reigning world record holder for the men’s 200-meter breaststroke, strutting in with a stylish long red coat over a white shirt and red pants, finished off with white sneakers.
This 25-year-old athlete, who recently claimed five gold medals at the 2023 Asian Games, sported swimming goggles, with his coat’s hood pulled up. He casually walks down a blue walkway, his hands displaying an air of confidence.
The video includes a cheeky caption stating, “bro thinks he’s just walked onto the catwalk.”
Interestingly, this viral moment emerges amidst doping allegations against Qin and 22 other Chinese swimmers, related to tests before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Officials attributed the positive samples to contamination from spice containers in a hotel kitchen. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found no grounds for action following their investigation.
Despite these accusations, the Chinese team shone at the Tokyo Olympics, securing three golds, while the U.S. won two silvers. Currently, in Paris, China is leading the gold medal tally with 13, outpacing the U.S., France, and the U.K., all of which have nine golds. However, the U.S. leads the overall medal count with 41, followed by France with 31 and China with 27 as of the latest updates.
‘So Much Swagger’
TikTokers were quick to praise Qin’s fashionable entrance. User DepressedNugget declared, “That’s his catwalk, his fashion week!” while others chimed in with similar excitement for his confident vibe. One user humorously noted, “his model era is coming,” while another exclaimed, “What a confidence!!! I like this attitude!”
Sarah Stier/Getty Images