J. Christ on the Water - German Rower Goes Viral
On the water, German rower Julius Christ is one of the fastest, surprisingly, he had to help out in the German eight. But English-speaking Olympic fans suspect a reason behind this, as his name is abbreviated as J. Christ.
Can he walk on water? Does he even have an unfair advantage? These are the kinds of questions that many Olympic fans are amused by regarding Julius Christ. The German rower suddenly found himself in the eight, but he didn't gain international recognition for his strong semi-final with the German flag-bearer - rather, it was due to his name.
"J. Christ" is prominently displayed on the bib in the TV images as the rower is introduced before the start of his races. Internationally, viewers rubbed their eyes: Jesus Christ? This man has an unfair advantage on the water, wrote an Australian comedian on social media. Others joked that Christ didn't even need the boat.
The clip of the 25-year-old's race in the double sculls went viral - and didn't escape Christ's notice. "You obviously notice it and get it sent by all sorts of friends. I found it funny, but I wouldn't use it to promote myself either," said the Olympic debutant - and added laughing: "Because it is a bit awkward, after all."
But that's not the only reason why the focus was on Christ. Because eight-man Mattes Schönherr had to drop out at short notice, Christ stepped into the boat. "My coach called me at 7:30 am. Then I packed my things, went to the course, prepared briefly, and then it was off," Christ recounted, who was "glad" that he had skipped a few beers the night before at his girlfriend Maren Völz's silver medal celebration in the double sculls.
So he was immediately part of the best eight-race in years. "That was a team effort and I contributed a eighth of it," said Christ. And that, despite not even walking on water.
Despite his impressive speed in rowing, Julius Christ's inclusion in the German eight was not due to his individual performance, but rather his name. Many Olympic fans speculate about his potential advantage, given the similarity of his initials to those of a well-known religious figure.
The Olympic Games 2024 in Paris is eagerly anticipated by many, with Julius Christ being one of the athletes fans are eager to see compete again, given his unique situation and sense of humor in handling the situation.
