Meet Ewa Swoboda: Viral tattooed Polish sprinter and Barbie model

Ewa Swoboda, a Polish sprinter and Barbie model, went viral for her pre-race salute. Get to know the new Instagram sensation.

Josh Sanchez | Aug 4, 2024

Aug 2, 2024; Paris, FRANCE; Ewa Swoboda (POL) after the women's 100m round 1 during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France. / James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

Ewa Swoboda may have come up short in the 100m at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but she won when it comes to viral fame and social media stardom.

Swoboda went viral after saluting the camera and quickly switching her hands.

People on social media didn't understand the significance of Swoboda's switch, but the Polish sprinter was showing respect to the military. Saluting with the right hand is traditionally done by the military, so she switched to her left hand to signify a simple hello to the audience.

At first I didn't understand and at the end I didn't either. 😂

What happened there?pic.twitter.com/SPZYmvBPps
— Figen (@TheFigen_) August 3, 2024

After the video went viral, people on social media were scrambling to find Swoboda's social media accounts. As it turns out, she is incredibly popular in Poland with over 615,000 followers on Instagram.

She was even one of nine new Barbie doll models representing athletes ahead of the Olympic Games.

The tattooed beauty joined tnnis player Venus Williams, football players Mary Fowler and Christine Sinclair, boxer Estelle Mossely, paratriathlete Susana Rodriguez, swimmer Federica Pellegrini, and gymnasts Rebeca Andrade and Alexa Moreno.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ewa Swoboda (@litttlerunner)

“I am overjoyed that Barbie appreciated my story and honored me alongside eight other amazing female athletes from around the world with the title of Barbie Role Model," she wrote on social media.

"I still can’t believe it! I used to play with dolls as a little girl, and now I have my own Barbie doll that looks like me—the only one of its kind in the world."

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A post shared by Ewa Swoboda (@litttlerunner)

She added, "I want my story to show that it’s always worth being yourself. You don’t have to meet anyone’s expectations or fit into an imposed framework to achieve your goals. Each of us has the right to express ourselves in our own way. Thank you, Barbie!”

The 26-year-old Swoboda holds the Polish national record in the 60m with a time of 6.98 seconds. She won silver at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in the event.

She also won gold in the 100m at the 2023 European Games and silver in the 100m at the 2016 World Junior Championships.