Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Since the start of the 2024 Olympic Games last week, everyone’s love of sports has increased significantly. We’re more patriotic than ever before with our eyes glued to the screen as the world’s greatest athletes fight for gold. While the focus on the big event is undoubtedly on athleticism, the competition has already had its fair share of eye-catching style and beauty statements. From Team USA’s Ralph Lauren blazers to Team Liberia’s custom Telfar cloaks, the Olympics are off to a fashionable start.
Chinese swimmer Tang Qianting unintentionally joined the style conversation on Sunday before competing in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke at the La Defense Arena in Paris. As she prepared to dive into the pool, Qianting’s swimsuit created a body-cinching illusion against the facility’s wall. Her Speedo one-piece featured a two-toned construction with mint green at the center and bright blue at the sides. The azure outline created an illusion against the blue background of the arena, unintentionally giving Qianting an extremely tiny waist.
TikTok user @adamclayton shared a video of the moment with the caption, “You better cinch that waist.” The clip has since gone viral and has been reshared all over X. In the comments section of Clayton’s post, social media users shared hilarious reactions, including one comment that read, “Olympic or OZEMPIC” and another that said, “Stop cause when I saw this live I WAS SHOOK then I realized it was her attire.”
@adamclayton_
You better cinch that waist #olympics #parisolympics2024 #gay #lgbt #dragrace
♬ original sound – Adam Clayton
While Qianting—who placed second in the race—didn’t plan on rocking a snatched look, cinched-waist outfits are all the rage. Fashion houses including Alexander McQueen and Schiaparelli presented sucked-in styles on their spring 2024 couture runways, and the 2024 Met Gala proved that the corset trend is still a thing. Kim Kardashian famously referred to breathing as an “art form” while getting fitted for the scary tight metallic Maison Margiela piece she donned at fashion’s biggest night. While we don’t think beauty should be pain, we can’t deny that barely-there waists are having a moment.
