+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

The world just fell in love with an Olympic weightlifter who won't let 14th place stop him from dancing

Aug 16, 2016, 19:31 IST

Advertisement
Weightlifter David Katoatau exited with a bang.Instagram/NBC Olympics

Olympian David Katoatau finished in 14th place in the 105-kilogram weightlifting event yesterday - but that didn't stop him from dancing like he'd won gold. 

Katoatau's giant smile and joyful moves quickly made him a crowd favorite and an Internet sensation. He even broke into dance after squandering his final lifting attempt by dropping the barbell too early. Reuters reported that he got more cheers than any other weightlifter. 

Katoatau, 32, competes for the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati, and he told Reuters that his dancing is part of a larger mission: He's trying to raise awareness about the effects of climate change on his home. Kiribati's 21 inhabited islands have been hit hard by extreme erosion and rising sea levels in recent years.

"Most people don't know where Kiribati is," he told Reuters. "I want people to know more about us so I use weightlifting, and my dancing, to show the world."

Advertisement

This is actually his second time making headlines at Rio games: Katoatau was Kiribati's flag bearer in the opening ceremony, and he seized the opportunity to bust a move

He certainly knows how to get the world's attention. 

Watch Katoatau's dance moves right here:

NOW WATCH: Usain Bolt reveals his key to winning

Please enable Javascript to watch this video
You are subscribed to notifications!
Looks like you've blocked notifications!
Next Article