- Ewa Swoboda won her first round race of the women’s 100m in Paris on Friday
- The Pole was in high spirits as she crossed the line ahead of Britain’s Asher-Smith
- Swoboda made a gesture to the camera which she quickly corrected after race
Poland sprinting star Ewa Swoboda perplexed fans with her reaction to the camera after progressing through the first round of the women’s 100m in Paris.
The 27-year-old ultimately failed to make the final after coming fourth behind Melissa Jefferson, Marie-Josee Ta Lou and Mujinga Kambundji in the semis.
But ahead of that disappointment on Saturday, Swoboda was in high spirits after navigating the first stage and she saluted in the direction of the television cameras with her right hand as it turned to her for her reaction.
However, the world indoor silver medallist quickly corrected herself, wagged her finger with a slight shake of the head and repeated the gesture but with her left hand.
The sequence confused several onlookers on social media, though, it appears her move was in an attempt to distance herself from a gesture that is often associated 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.’ Wrote one user on X.
Another user on the platform agreed, stating: ‘Saluting to the right is for military. She caught her mistake and then saluted from the left.’
Swoboda is an eight-time Polish champion in the 100m and a regular at the latter stages of elite global races.
But her sub par performance in the Stade de France meant that she was forced to watch from the sidelines as Julien Alfred of St Lucia secured the nation’s first ever Olympic medal when she won gold in the final on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old upset world champion Sha’Carri Richardson and clocked in a time of 10.72 in the rain in Paris.
The world indoor silver medallist was one of nine female athletes turned into Barbie dolls ahead of the Games
Richardson took the silver, while fellow American Melissa Jefferson finished third, taking bronze with a time of 10.92.
Swoboda, an Instagram sensation who was one of nine female athletes honoured by Mattel with the creation of a Barbie doll, is set to compete for her nation in the 4x100m relay later this week.
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