Unfortunately, China’s hurdlers failed to achieve any medals at the Paris Olympics. But that doesn’t mean they haven’t managed to make waves back home. Wu Yanni’s tattoo and expressive make-up garnered her attention ahead of the Games, but the breakout star in Paris might actually be 20-year-old male hurdler Xu Zhuoyi.

Xu gained attention online after a strong performance in the 110-meters hurdles preliminaries. However, what really caught the eyes of Chinese fans was Xu’s unconventional appearance for a track and field athlete: in the race he sported a pair of nerdy-looking glasses, a “girly” hair tie on his wrist, and a golden necklace.

Despite his unassuming look, Xu performed impressively, winning his heat with a time of 13.40 seconds. The only Asian competitor to win his heat, his performance was notable but not unexpected: in 2023, he won a silver medal at the Asian Athletics Championships and a bronze at the Asian Games.

Netizens playfully remarked that his slim physique and explosive speed make him resemble a “track and field lynx.” They feel that he looks more like a college student or the kind of businessman you’d find around Shanghai’s Lujiazui skyscrapers, earning him the nicknames “nerdy hurdler” and “glasses flyer.” When asked why his glasses don’t fall off, Xu explained that he is accustomed to wearing glasses rather than contact lenses, and his running speed keeps them in place.

In the semi-final, Xu hit a few hurdles and finished with a time of 13.48 seconds, regrettably missing the final. So the athlete is heading back to China, where he’ll live up to his academic appearance by studying for a bachelor’s degree in sports training at Shanghai’s Tongji University.

Even though Xu failed to make the final, his performance is still a milestone, marking the first time a Chinese athlete born in the 2000s has reached the semi-finals in the men’s 110-meters hurdles at the Olympics. Currently, the Olympic record for the event is still held by Xu’s countryman Liu Xiang. Hopes are high that with more competitive experience Xu could finish on the podium in future Olympics.

Banner image via The Beijing News.