‘Awkward’ Moment On Olympic Podium Between US And Chinese Medal Winners Caused Cultural Divide

A slightly awkward moment unfolded during the final of the Women’s Synchronized 3m Springboard at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on Wednesday (July 31). A seemingly uncomfortable atmosphere was set when Team USA, Team China, and Team Great Britain (GB) took to the podium.

It happened between silver-medalists US Olympians Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook and China’s gold-winning Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen, Unilad reported on Wednesday.

After the six women found out they would be going home with a medal, they were reportedly asked to take a group photo where they would all stand on the designated podium.

After the British athletes, who had picked up bronze for Team GB, had already moved onto the first-place podium alongside winners Chang and Chen, Kassidy and Sarah stepped up.

The British and Chinese athletes were standing at the back of the stand, so naturally, the only place left for Sarah and Kassidy was crouching at the front.

However, when they began to do so, Chang and Chen intervened, allowing the Team USA sportswomen to stand while they took seats at the front of the podium.

A slightly awkward moment unfolded during the final of the Women’s Synchronized 3m Springboard

Image credits: Fu Tian/Getty

Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), a user shared a clip of the perplexing instance, describing: “Slight awkward moment there between China and US as to who should be in the middle of [the] podium for [a] photo.

“Chinese social media said ‘the Chinese girls were very kind as they know foreigners can’t squat.’”

The clip amassed over 3.2 million views and a handful of divided opinions, as an X user commented: “Truth is Chinese athletes are more humble and better educated than their US counterparts. 

“Always been, always will be! That’s the inconvenient truth!”

@thecalisthenicsproject ✨ASIAN SQUATS✨ #calisthenics♬ gurenge (demon slayer lofi) – luvbyrd

A person wrote: “The Chinese athletes are simply generous. They sit down to avoid demonstrating their superiority. that is true sportsmanship.”

Someone else added: “Before jumping to conclusions just remind yourself that they’re just teens without any pollution of politicians’ work.”

“The audacity from [American] women to push away the winners from [the] podium as if they won the gold like damm the entitlement.”

A separate individual chimed in: “Foreigners can’t squat.”

The event took place at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on Wednesday (July 31)

Image credits: Fu Tian/Getty

A handful of commenters alluded to the “Asian squat.” This position, in contrast to deep squatting on your toes, as most Americans naturally attempt instead, is so stable that people in China can hold it for minutes and perhaps even hours while eating, smoking, waiting for customers, examining art, and especially, while using the bathroom, The Atlantic reported in 2018.

Toilets are common in Chinese households now, but public restrooms are still dominated by squat pans, which many Chinese people find more hygienic due to the lack of thigh-and-toilet-seat contact, the American magazine explained.

The flat-heeled squat position in China is crucial, not only for stability on wet porcelain but also for proper angling and position. 

“Of course, squat toilets are not unique to Asia, and neither is the deep-squatting position. But so ubiquitous is the position in Asia and so invisible is it in the West that it’s been dubbed the ‘Asian squat,'” the outlet wrote.

Image credits: Olympics.

In other Olympic awkward blunders on the podium news, Team USA swimmer Torri Huske narrowly beat her teammate Gretchen Walsh for the gold medal in a nail-biting finish in the 100-meter Butterfly Race at the Paris Olympics on Sunday (July 28).

Amid the excitement, it was not just the fierce competition that grabbed headlines but also an unexpected gesture on the podium made by the gold medalist.

Torri and teammate Gretchen were on top of the podium with Chinese bronze-winner Zhang Yufei.

A heartwarming display of friendship was seen on the podium as Torri asked her teammate to join her on the top spot, turning a moment of personal triumph into one of shared celebration.

A seemingly uncomfortable atmosphere was set when Team USA, Team China, and Team Great Britain (GB) took to the podium

Image credits: Olympics.

But people on social media had mixed feelings about the gesture, with one saying they have “never seen that done, kinda weird?”

“Awesome but awkward for the bronze medalist,” a second comment noted, while a third said they “could have included the other young woman.”

The two Team USA winners eventually did invite the bronze medalist to join them in posing for photos and sharing the glorious moment together.

“It was a really warming gesture that they invited me on the podium,” Zhang later said.

“Shouldn’t be an issue,” a reader commented

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