Michelle Jenneke ditches jiggling routine and yawns pre-race

Michelle Jenneke ditched her iconic pre-race ‘jiggling’ routine before her hurdles event on Thursday night – instead standing behind her blocks and yawning as she waited for the gun. 

The 24-year-old cut a subdued figure when she took to the track in Queensland for the Summer of Athletics Grand Prix, opting not to perform the bouncy warm-up dance that shot her to fame.

Jenneke shelved the dance after her Rio Olympics campaign, when she bombed out in the first heat before being savaged by online trolls and accused by coaches of having her thoughts elsewhere.

She revealed this week she ran ‘one of her worst races ever’ at the Olympics because she had leg pain and wasn’t allowed to warm up before her heat, News.com.au reported. 

Michelle Jenneke cut a subdued figure when she took to the track in Queensland on Thursday, opting not to perform the bouncy warm-up dance that shot her to fame

Jenneke ditched her iconic pre-race 'jiggling' routine at the Summer of Athletics Grand Prix - instead standing behind her blocks and yawning as she waited for the gun

Jenneke ditched her iconic pre-race ‘jiggling’ routine at the Summer of Athletics Grand Prix – instead standing behind her blocks and yawning as she waited for the gun

Jenneke shelved the dance after her Rio Olympics campaign (pictured), when she bombed out in the first heat before being savaged by online trolls and accused by coaches of having her thoughts elsewhere

Jenneke shelved the dance after her Rio Olympics campaign (pictured), when she bombed out in the first heat before being savaged by online trolls and accused by coaches of having her thoughts elsewhere

On Thursday night, she placed second in the women’s 100 metre hurdles open event, which served as preparation for her Commonwealth Games campaign next month.

She was seen standing with her arms by her side and openly yawning before the race, instead of dancing, which she previously insisted was a technique to calm her nerves.

Jenneke – wearing skimpy two-piece athletics wear – was also seen offering a steely gaze as she glared down the track towards the finish line. 

The one-time Sports Illustrated model ran in a time of 13.70 seconds, almost half a second slower than her ill-fated Rio Olympics performance of 13.26 seconds.

Speaking of the 2016 Summer Games this week, Jenneke said criticism aimed at her was ‘misplaced’, as people didn’t know her ‘situation’.

Jenneke was seen standing with her arms by her side and openly yawning before the race, instead of dancing, which she previously insisted was a technique to calm her nerves

Jenneke was seen standing with her arms by her side and openly yawning before the race, instead of dancing, which she previously insisted was a technique to calm her nerves

The one-time Sports Illustrated model ran in a time of 13.70 seconds, almost half a second slower than her ill-fated Rio Olympics performance (pictured) of 13.26 seconds

The one-time Sports Illustrated model ran in a time of 13.70 seconds, almost half a second slower than her ill-fated Rio Olympics performance (pictured) of 13.26 seconds

Speaking of the 2016 Summer Games this week (pictured), Jenneke said criticism aimed at her was 'misplaced', as people didn't know her 'situation'

Speaking of the 2016 Summer Games this week (pictured), Jenneke said criticism aimed at her was 'misplaced', as people didn't know her 'situation'

Speaking of the 2016 Summer Games this week (pictured), Jenneke said criticism aimed at her was ‘misplaced’, as people didn’t know her ‘situation’

‘I know that I came into Rio as well prepared as I could have been and there were some unfortunate circumstances that didn’t go my way,’ she said. 

‘I was definitely not as disappointed with my Rio performance as everyone else seemed to be so that hasn’t really affected me at all.

‘I knew what had gone on in my situation better than the rest of the world did and everyone who knew me quite well understood what actually happened.’ 

What actually happened was troublesome nerve pain in her leg, which she said began two weeks before the event. 

She revealed this week she ran 'one of her worst races ever' at the Olympics because she had leg pain and wasn't allowed to warm up before her heat

She revealed this week she ran ‘one of her worst races ever’ at the Olympics because she had leg pain and wasn’t allowed to warm up before her heat

'I know that I came into Rio as well prepared as I could have been and there were some unfortunate circumstances that didn’t go my way,' Jenneke said

‘I know that I came into Rio as well prepared as I could have been and there were some unfortunate circumstances that didn’t go my way,’ Jenneke said

Australian track and field coach Craig Hilliard accused Jenneke (right) of under-performing because she was distracted

Australian track and field coach Craig Hilliard accused Jenneke (right) of under-performing because she was distracted

Fans also accused Jenneke of not being focused on her sprinting performance at the Olympics

Fans also accused Jenneke of not being focused on her sprinting performance at the Olympics

‘I’ve been on the table every day sorting that out … but unfortunately I felt it grab on a hurdle or two,’ she said post-race. 

Australian track and field coach Craig Hilliard then accused Jenneke of under-performing because she was distracted. 

‘It’s something that I need to discuss with her and go through her program as she certainly didn’t arrive here in the shape she should have arrived in,’ Hilliard said.  

The woman, known as ‘Jiggling Jenneke’, was also accused by fans of having her thoughts away from the track, after she was plastered across billboards in Rio de Janeiro as the face of Coca-Cola during the Olympics. 

Jenneke said people see sprinting as a job, but it’s a ‘job that doesn’t pay’.

She said many athletes have to work other jobs or go to university like herself.

Jenneke is studying mechatronic engineering at university as she prepares for the Commonwealth Games next month. 

'Jiggling Jenneke' was also accused by fans of having her thoughts away from the track, after she was plastered across billboards in Rio de Janeiro as the face of Coca-Cola during the Olympics

‘Jiggling Jenneke’ was also accused by fans of having her thoughts away from the track, after she was plastered across billboards in Rio de Janeiro as the face of Coca-Cola during the Olympics

Jenneke said people see sprinting as a job, but it's a 'job that doesn't pay'

Jenneke said people see sprinting as a job, but it’s a ‘job that doesn’t pay’



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