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The most well-known athlete in the Chinese contingent at the ongoing Rio Olympics is not their best performing athlete, but is Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui, popularly known for unfiltered, wacky facial expressions and candid opinions.
Completing third in the 100m backstroke event, a happy Yuanhui thanked herself for achieving the feat and took a victory lap with the bronze medal around her neck.
I want to tell myself that... Your perseverance and efforts in the past have not been in vain. Though I didn’t win first place, I have already surpassed myself.Fu Yuanhui, Chinese Swimmer
A pleasant change from the usually extremely focused and serious Chinese athletes, people looked forward to catching Fu Yuanhui’s event and her after reactions.
Gold is Not the Goal, Happiness is
The adoration piled upon Fu as her followers on social media swelled to nearly 5 million from 56,000 in just a few days, a sign that China is moving away from the gold-medal mentality and starting to respect sportsmanship and athletes as individuals.
Born into an ordinary family in the prosperous eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, Fu began to swim at 5 when her parents hoped the water exercise could improve her health and alleviate her asthma, according to a 2015 Chinese media report.
Considered a genius in the pool, Fu competed in London but came home empty-handed. Unabashed, she reportedly joked she had drunk enough of the “foot-washing water” of other swimmers.
Fu apparently has not considered the Olympic gold a must in her swimming career, a departure from state athletes who are tasked with winning for the sake of the country.
On her 20th birthday in January, she posted this on her social media account:
I know for what I live. I know the kind of life I want. It’s simple. Joy. Loving Heart. Gratitude. This is what I want. Being outstanding or not, it does not matter.
(With inputs from AP. Copy has been edited for length.)