Michelle Jenneke, an up and coming Australian hurdler not only scorched the competition in her 100 meters preliminary heat, she also burned up the internet with her sexy pre-race warm-up routine during the World Junior Championship last weekend in Barcelona.
It all started when the 19-year-old Jenneke tried to shake off pre-race jitters by hopping up and down, wiggling her hips and waving to the crowd. Little did she know that her unorthodox pre-race warmup would quickly garner almost half a million hits on YouTube. Whether she intended it or not, she had the world’s attention. Many Twitter users are calling Jenneke ‘The Hottest Hurdler Ever’.
While much of the media has been quick to attach the sexy hurdler label, USA Today toned it down a bit, and simply pointed out that Jenneke had a “unique way of stretching,” adding, “You have to appreciate anyone who enjoys themselves this much.” Some may say that this is just another example of the sexualization of female athletes in the media. Others may just appreciate the visual appeal of a very attractive and talented athlete shaking her hips before a big race.
Although Jenneke won’t be competing in the London Olympics this summer, you can be sure she’ll have plenty of fans supporting her along the way in her bid to make the 2016 Olympic team. We certainly will.
