- The Internet is amazed by these scenes
Sports can take a backseat at the Paris Olympics, with some moments, like flying surfers or even offhand coffee comments, becoming equally talked-about topics on social media. These Olympic scenes are going viral right now.
The Flying Surfer
Since last Monday, Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina (30) has been on everyone's lips, not just for his impressive score of 9.9 out of 10 and his advancement to the quarterfinals. He caught a massive wave, and numerous impressive shots were taken during his ride, which he later shared on Instagram. One photo, taken by French photographer Jérôme Brouillet, shows Medina seemingly frozen in mid-air, one of the most spectacular photos from Paris so far. Medina's Instagram post has since garnered over six million likes and around 120,000 comments.
Swimmer learns baby's gender
U.S. swimmer Ryan Murphy (29), who won the bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke on Monday, received a surprise in the audience. His pregnant wife, Bridget, held up a sign revealing the baby's gender: "Ryan, it's a girl!" she wrote in English, sharing the news with her husband for the first time. Murphy then embraced his wife and kissed her on the lips. These moments are also circulating on Instagram, X, and various TV shows.
Bad coffee meets Italian taste buds
When bad coffee meets an Italian palate, harsh comments are sure to follow. An Italian TV reporter from the public broadcaster RAI2 vented his frustration during a report on an 800-meter swimming event: "The coffee in the press room is as bad as the Seine water," he complained, comparing his drink to the currently polluted French river. "It's probably made with the same substances and water, then mixed with low-quality soluble coffee." The clip quickly spread on X and has since been viewed nearly three million times.
Pommel horse gymnast or Superman?
U.S. gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik (25) is also causing laughter online. While his teammates compete in multiple events, Nedoroscik only needs to excel on the pommel horse, as he's not qualified for other apparatuses. He often uses his downtime for a nap by the side of the mat. Then came his big moment: the pommel horse was the final event and his last chance for a medal. Nedoroscik promptly removed his glasses and delivered an impressive performance, securing the U.S. team a medal after 16 years. Online, he's now being compared to Superman, or rather his alter ego Clark Kent, who also wears similar glasses when not in his superhero costume.
Another viral moment occurred during the women's 100-meter breaststroke on Sunday morning. US swimmer Emma Webber lost her swim cap in the pool. Quickly, an unknown man intervened, walking from the tribune towards the pool in a brief, neon floral swimsuit. Without causing a commotion, he executed a graceful dive into the water, retrieved the submerged swim cap, and exited the pool - all with impressive speed. Cheers and applause from the audience followed shortly after. From the NBC commentary box, he was dubbed "Bob, the Cap Catcher".
The Instagram post of Gabriel Medina's mid-air surfing shot has reached over six million likes, making it a viral video in the Paris Olympics. The actions of "Bob, the Cap Catcher," who retrieved a swim cap during the women's 100-meter breaststroke, are also circulating widely on social media, creating another viral moment.
