Olympian Sun Yang mercilessly sledged after his swim cap tries to flee his grasp

Even the world's greatest swimmers can have the coordination of a bowl of jelly sometimes.
 By 
Elise Cooper
 on 
Olympian Sun Yang mercilessly sledged after his swim cap tries to flee his grasp
Sun Yang of China celebrates winning gold in the Men's 200m Freestyle Final in Rio. Credit: Getty Images

China's golden boy, swimmer Sun Yang has given normal people everywhere a reminder that even world class athletes have moments of ineptitude.

Upon winning the 200m freestyle swim in Rio, Yang opted to toss his swimming cap to his swarm of supportive fans. A noble and kind gesture, were it not for the slip-of-hand that resulted in the cap fleeing from its owner and launching itself back into the pool.

It's a comfort to see that even athletes at the literal top of their game are susceptible to awkwardness.


You May Also Like

China's been having a mixed run in Rio, despite their 13 medals thus far. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the wrong flag had been flown during both the opening ceremony and a medal ceremony.

The smaller stars on the flag were set at a wrong angle -- something commentators from China were quick to point out that was " a principle that even primary school students would understand."

But with #CapGate comes a new opportunity for social media users to return fire at Yang after the merciless trolling of Australian swimmer Horton a few days prior. Horton's been calling Yang a "drug cheat" to psych him out, you see.

Some people even referenced Australia's own uncoordinated Prime Minister John Howard's train wreck of a performance from a ministerial visit to Pakistan in 2005.

May #CapGate stand as a monument to our humanity. Even at our best, we are a weird bag of flesh of bone, just trying to get by.

Mashable Image
Elise Cooper

Previous Watercooler Web Culture Intern - Sydney Australia // misc burden on society

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
I asked Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing what he'd say to AI skeptics. He had a blunt, four-word response.
Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing speaks to the media at ces 2026

BTS' 'SWIM' video is already tearing up YouTube
BTS on a boat.


The top finds from Amazon's Spend $100, Get $20 Free sale: Nespresso, Sun Bum, Hydro Flask
Amazon products on colorful abstract background

Jon Stewart summarises the current state of the world in 20 minutes
A man in a suit sits behind a talk show desk, with an image of the American flag in the top-left.

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone


What's new to streaming this week? (April 3, 2026)
A composite of images from film and TV streaming this week.

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!