The Olympics have evolved over the years, with more and more athletes using their bodies or uniforms to send messages to loved ones or represent their interests. From tattoos to sequins in the shape of a goat (hello, Simone Biles), Olympic athletes are expressing themselves more than ever before. When it comes to repping a fandom, though, Vitalina Batsarashkina is bringing home the gold for fans of The Witcher.
Kotaku reports that Batasarashkina, who won a silver medal in 2016’s Rio Olympics, claimed a gold medal in the 10m air pistol while wearing a Witcher pendant around her neck. In 2016 the pendant was attached to her pants, so he’s been doing this for a while.
Vitalina Batsarashkina usó el medallón de The Witcher de la escuela del gato como amuleto y ganó el oro olímpico en pistola. En Río 2016 usó el de la escuela del lobo y fue plata. Conclusión 🐱 > 🐺 pic.twitter.com/kMPp4PmmiP
— Sardinilla en lata (@TheWitcherSardi) July 26, 2021
Batasarahkina won the first gold medal of the Tokyo games for the ROC, or the Russian Olympic Committee. These athletes from Russia are competing in the games while Russia serves a two-year Olympics ban stemming from a doping scandal.
The Witcher is one of many fandoms represented at the Olympics
Though a lot of fans have only gotten into The Witcher thanks to Henry Cavill’s turn as Geralt of Rivia on Netflix, The Witcher franchise has been around for years. Andrzej Sapkowski’s books and the video games inspired by them have captured the imaginations of fans from around the world, including this newly minted gold medalist.
Though not all Olympians have the ability to wear pendants or show off tattoos, they have been able to express themselves in other ways. Music selection, for example, shows off an athlete’s personality during gymnastics or skating routines. Snowboarders can show off their personality with their board designs, and now that skateboarding has made its Olympics debut, the same applies to skateboards.
In the world of The Witcher, silver is prized, but we’re betting that Batasarashkina is pretty happy with gold.
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