Rusty Weiss
Michelle Jenneke, a top Australian track and field athlete, has been named captain of the Australian Olympic Athletics Team for the Paris Olympics.
Jenneke, now 31 years old, is one of the original viral internet sensations due to her warmup routine, which… we’ll get to that in a moment.
She is surely a favorite of Olympic sports fans who will be thrilled that she has been bestowed with the honor of team captain.
Jenneke secured her place in the Olympics by winning the 100m hurdles event at the 2024 Australian National Championships with a time of 12.88 seconds. She then posted a personal best time of 12.65 seconds at the FBK Games.
This will be Jenneke’s second Olympic appearance, having previously competed in the Rio 2016 Olympics. And it appears she is just hitting her prime.
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Michelle Jenneke Back At The Olympics? Let’s Dance!
As we mentioned, Michelle Jenneke is best known for becoming a viral sensation after a video of her pre-race warm-up dance at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Barcelona went viral.
The video, which featured Jenneke’s energetic and unique dance routine, quickly spread across the internet, making her a global sensation.
The newfound viral fame led to her being featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and a Top Gear stint, further increasing her visibility.
Jenneke’s warm-up dance routine, often referred to as her “jiggling” warm-up, captured the attention of millions and helped propel her to international recognition.
And guess what? She teased the shimmy a little bit for her fans on Instagram.
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Go out There And Have Fun
On steering the ship for Australia at the Paris Games, to nobody’s surprise, Jenneke just wants everyone to have fun.
“I just want everyone to have the time of their lives. There is nothing quite like going to an Olympic Games and I want them all to have the best time,” she said.
She also lauded the team aspect of track and field despite some events requiring individual performances.
“Athletics is an individual sport but when an athlete has a strong team and strong support system around them, it can make a huge difference,” Jenneke said.
“If an athlete feels more confident, they’re going to perform better, and if you can convince an athlete they belong on the world stage, they’re going to believe it too.”
That’s a true captain right there!