Meet Ewa Swoboda: Trending Tattooed Polish Sprinter and Her Viral Salute at The Camera Before The Women's 100m at Paris Olympics

Ewa Swoboda, Polish sprinter captured the attention of the audience during the 2024 Paris Olympics with her camera reaction. She made a captivating gesture before the women's 100m semifinal by saluting the camera. The 27-year-old sprinter went viral when she was introduced to the audience and saluted the camera with her right hand and immediately switched to her left hand. 

She quickly realized the potential misinterpretation of saluting with her right hand hence switching to her left hand. The brief yet eye-catching moment captured the attention of the viewers, making the athlete a viral sensation. 

People on social media expressed their curiosity on what her gesture meant. Some people took it as a polite gesture while to some, her right hand salute looked like the military salute. Others pointed out how a simple gesture can become a talking point, especially in an international competition like the Olympics. Several discussions sparked on whether the gesture had any political meaning. 

Swoboda clarified on social media and in an interview backstage that her main aim of switching arms was to eliminate any misconception or allegations that might be related to the military. That is why she switched to her left hand right immediately to prevent interpretations of military symbolism. 

Swoboda handled the situation with maturity. Although the sprinter did not make it to the final. The eight-time 100m Polish champion secured a fourth position in the semis after Melissa Jefferson, Marie-Jose Ta Lou and Mijinga Kambundji. 

The Polish sprinter has a huge following on social media with more than 600,000 followers on Instagram. She loves engaging her fans by sharing her life as a professional athlete. Moreover, she was among the nine Barbie dolls chosen by doll makers Mattel to represent athletes before the Olympic Games. 

I am overjoyed that Barbie appreciated my story and honored me alongside eight other amazing female athletes from around the world with the title of Barbie Role Model. I still can’t believe it! I used to play with dolls as a little girl, and now I have my own Barbie doll that looks like me—the only one of its kind in the world.

Swoboda on social media