- Ewa Swoboda claimed victory in her first heat of the women’s 100m in Paris on Friday
- The Polish sprinter was in an upbeat mood as she finished ahead of Britain’s Asher-Smith
- Swoboda made a gesture toward the camera that she promptly amended after the race
Poland’s sprinting sensation Ewa Swoboda surprised fans with her reaction to the camera during the first round of the women’s 100m in Paris.
The 27-year-old did not qualify for the final, finishing fourth in the semifinals, behind Melissa Jefferson, Marie-Josee Ta Lou, and Mujinga Kambundji.
Despite this setback, Swoboda was in great spirits after completing the first round and offered a salute to the television cameras with her right hand. However, she quickly altered the gesture, wagging her finger while shaking her head before repeating the salute with her left hand.
This sequence caused confusion among social media observers, but it seems her intention was to distance herself from a gesture often linked with the military.
Poland’s Ewa Swoboda made a salute with her right hand after winning her first round race but quickly corrected her gesture
The 27-year-old failed to make the final of the women’s 100m final after safely navigating the first round
‘Military salute is with the right hand. So, she switches to her left to say hello.’ remarked one user on X.
Another user concurred, stating: ‘Saluting to the right is for military. She realized her mistake and then saluted with her left.’
Swoboda is an eight-time Polish champion in the 100m and frequently competes in the latter stages of prestigious global events.
However, her below-par performance at Stade de France meant she had to watch from the sidelines as Julien Alfred of St Lucia achieved the nation’s first-ever Olympic medal by clinching gold in the final on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old surprised world champion Sha’Carri Richardson with a winning time of 10.72 in the rain-soaked conditions in Paris.
The world indoor silver medallist was one of nine female athletes turned into Barbie dolls ahead of the Games
Richardson earned the silver medal, while fellow American Melissa Jefferson took bronze with a time of 10.92.
Swoboda, who has gained considerable fame on Instagram and was one of nine female athletes honored by Mattel with the creation of a Barbie doll, is scheduled to compete for her country in the 4x100m relay later this week.
