CHINESE Olympic swimmer Fu Yuanhui has been praised for courageously breaking the taboo surrounding menstruation in a post-race interview.
Yuanhui, 20, was distressed after competing in the women’s 4x100m medley relay on Sunday.
The swimmer keeled over in pain as her team-mates were interviewed, having just missed out on a medal and finishing fourth.
When asked if she was okay, Fu apologised to the rest of her team and said: “I didn’t swim well enough this time.
“It’s because my period came yesterday, so I felt particularly tired – but this isn’t a reason, I still didn’t swim well enough.”
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Fu, who is famed for her eccentric behaviour and hilarious facial expressions, shed light on a topic often hushed in her native China.
Many Chinese viewers took to social media to hail the brave Olympian.
User TAO wrote on Sina Weibo: “I really admire Fu Yuanhui, for swimming while she was on her period – women can be affected during their periods, especially with period pain… she felt guilty for coming fourth, but Fu Yuanhui we’re still very proud of you.”
Another fan of the swimmer posted: “It is a normal physiological phenomenon, so why can’t we mention it? Fu Yuanhui is awesome!”
Yuanhui, who won bronze in the 100m backstroke this month, has already melted hearts for her enthusiasm during an interview at Rio 2016.
The Chinese star was taken aback when she discovered she finished third in the semi-final and had fans in stitches with her comical reaction.
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