‘I’m an athlete first, not Internet celebrity,’ Olympic swimmer Fu Yuanhui says
Chinese Olympian famous for her adorable personality says during visit to Hong Kong that improving herself professionally comes first
Chinese Olympic swimmer Fu Yuanhui revealed a slight disenchantment with her newfound fame yesterday, after her adorable personality gained her enormous admiration in Hong Kong.
“My profession is athlete, not an Internet celebrity or an ‘expression package’,” Fu said during a diving demonstration by Chinese medallists at the Victoria Park swimming pool. “I hope I can achieve more professionally, and then, and then I’ve forgotten what I wanted to say.”
The audience all laughed at her cute awkwardness.
The bronze medallist’s candid yet goofy style has gained her a huge fanbase both on the mainland and in Hong Kong, and the interview she gave when she told media that she had used up all her “mystical power” after finishing her 100m backstroke race at the Olympics quickly went viral online. Her outrageous expressions during the interview, in particular, won hearts, with her eyes so wide they looked as if they were about to pop out of her sockets.
Although Fu and her fellow swimmer, gold medallist Sun Yang, did not take part during the two-hour diving demonstration that started at 9.30am, the excited audience at the pool welcomed the duo with the loudest cheers whenever they appeared on the big screens at the venue.