FU, too!

One of the things – one of the many, many things – that bugs me about American Olympic coverage on TV is how fixated NBC get on certain narratives and how unwilling they are to deviate from their preconceived notions of what will make a “good” story. That mindset gave us endless – and I mean E-N-D-L-E-S-S shots of Michael Phelps and his fiancée and their baby. We get it – a man can be the so-called best Olympian ever and have a super hot fiancée and have a baby who wears noise-cancelling headphones all at the same time. Amazing! We also got to watch every single one of his medal ceremonies in primetimes, but somehow Simone Manuel’s historic (and tear-filled – there’s something in all our eyes, shut up) ceremony only gets shown as an afterthought hours later.

It’s also why sports where America doesn’t excel often get short shrift in coverage. Want to watch badminton? Archery? Kayak? Women’s weightlifting? Good luck finding them. I hope you have a ton of room on your DVR so you can fast-forward through endless hours of men’s volleyball, men’s water polo and every damn heat of swimming/track possible to find a couple minutes squeezed in between of the neat, weirdo sports.

In the same vein, our home team focus means we often ignore great international stories. Like NBC didn’t even mention the first marriage proposal of the Olympic Games (you know, the adorable Brazilian ladies). Nor did they air anything about 100 meter backstroke Olympic medalist and new Internet darling Fu Yuanhui. Which leads me to the point in this long, winding gripe.

Fu Yuanhui is someone I would never know about if it wasn’t for The Internets. She is a Chinese swimmer and backstroke specialist and – based on all empirical evidence available – a most delightful goofball. After doing well in her 100m backstroke semi-final, the swimmer gave the most wonderfully effusive interview. Like, it’s such a delight. Please watch this three times in a row and then we’ll chat about it.



I know. I know!

And now, watch how she reacts after the 100m backstroke finals. She gets out of the water to do her interview and doesn’t realize she has tied for third and gotten a bronze medal. Side note: Can someone get her some prescription goggles? I think she can’t see the scoreboard.



And then after her team placed fourth in the 100m medley relay, she confessed to interviewers that perhaps she didn’t swim her very best because she was on her period. And it made news because – gasp, shock – did you know female athletes sometimes get their periods? Yeah. Who knew.



Anyway. When an athlete, regardless of her country, is so charismatic, unfiltered and just plain fun, it seems crazy to not share her with the world. So enjoy.