Paris 2024 Olympics: Zhou Yaqin learns medal-biting tradition while on podium
Zhou Yaqin learnt something new at Paris 2024.
The 18-year-old, making her Olympic debut at the Bercy Arena, won artistic gymnastics silver in the women’s balance beam event.
Zhou was joined on the podium by Alice D’Amato, who became Italy's first ever Olympic women’s gymnastic champion, and her compatriot Manila Esposito.
As the three women took to the podium during the medal ceremony on Monday (5 August), D’Amato and Esposito bit their medals for a photo – literally unbeknownst to the People’s Republic of China gymnast.
She looked over to her Italian counterparts, saw them biting their medals, and quickly followed suit, raising the silver medal to her mouth.
Zhou Yaqin, learning as she goes along
The endearing moment has gone viral on social media, with many fans praising her for learning on the spot, while others noted the Olympic spirit on display.
Athletes biting their medals in celebration is a long-lasting celebration, based on when early traders used to bite their gold coins to check if they were real.
However, nowadays the act is simply tradition, a favoured pose among photographers, fans and Olympic medallists themselves.