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How Gisele Bundchen stole the spotlight at the Rio Olympics opening ceremony

They asked her to werk, so she werked.

Heather Dockray

on August 5, 2016

How Gisele Bundchen stole the spotlight at the Rio Olympics opening ceremony

Credit: dean mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Supermodel Giselle Bundchen may not be an internationally renowned athlete -- but she was still the star of the Rio Olympics opening ceremony.

For her performance, Bundchen simply walked across the stadium floor to "The Girl from Ipanema," doing her classic Bundchen walk. In a show heavy on projection graphics and complicated parkour moves, Bundchen only needed to walk to gain the world's attention.

After Bundchen appeared, Google Trends reported that searches spiked for the model by 1,850 percent -- in one hour alone.

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It's easy to understand why.

A #CerimoniaDeAbertura é toda dela: @giseleofficial! 👏👏👏 #SomosTodosOlímpicos #CerimoniaDeAbertura #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/jKt3DUUO4S
— Globo (@RedeGlobo) August 5, 2016

Twitter was slightly underwhelmed by the length of her performance, but most delivered accolades:

DIVINAAAAAAAAA GISELE 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
— Carolina Cruz Osorio (@carocruzosorio) August 5, 2016

Bundchen is originally from Brazil, and is married to NFL quarterback Tom Brady. Earlier in the day, Bundchen posted an Instagram with a emotional message for tonight's participants and spectators:

"As I walk down tonight on the longest runway I have ever been on I will be sending out all my love and positivity. I am humbled and honored to be part of this historic moment for my country," Bundchen wrote.

The Olympics symbolize so much for our global community. The unity that is felt is amazing and gives me goose bumps. There is so much dedication and love the athlete’s themselves pour into their chosen sport. Each athlete has given their all to achieve lifelong dreams and their journeys have led them here to Rio to compete for their countries with pride. The energy is electric and contagious. I am so happy to be part of the opening ceremony in my homeland and to celebrate these bright stars from around the globe. I truly believe that each Olympian lights the path for the next young child dreaming of being at the Olympics and encourages the practice of sports. As I walk down tonight on the longest runway I have ever been on I will be sending out all my love and positivity. I am humbled and honored to be part of this historic moment for my country. I believe that the unity is the key to creating a world filled with kindness, gratitude, peace, and love.❤️🙏🏼🇧🇷🌎 Os Jogos Olímpicos simbolizam muito para a nossa comunidade global. A união de todos os povos é maravilhosa e me dá arrepios. É tocante ver que os atletas colocam toda sua dedicação e amor no esporte escolhido por eles. Cada atleta deu seu melhor ao longo de sua vida para alcançar seus sonhos, e suas jornadas os trouxeram aqui para o Rio para competir por seus países, com orgulho. A energia é eletrizante e contagiante. Estou muito feliz por fazer parte da cerimônia de abertura no meu país e por celebrar as estrelas do esporte de todo o mundo. Eu realmente acredito que cada atleta olímpico ilumina o caminho para a próxima criança que sonha fazer parte dos Jogos Olímpicos e estimula a prática do esporte. Hoje à noite, quando eu desfilar pela mais longa passarela em que já estive, vou estar enviando todo o meu amor e positividade. Sinto-me honrada por fazer parte deste momento histórico para o meu país. Acredito que união é a chave para criar um mundo cheio de bondade, gratidão, paz e amor.

A photo posted by Gisele Bündchen (@gisele) on Aug 5, 2016 at 7:21am PDT

Topics Olympics

Heather Dockray

Heather was the Web Trends reporter at Mashable NYC. Prior to joining Mashable, Heather wrote regularly for UPROXX and GOOD Magazine, was published in The Daily Dot and VICE, and had her work featured in Entertainment Weekly, Jezebel, Mic, and Gawker. She loves small terrible dogs and responsible driving. Follow her on Twitter @wear_a_helmet.