The Olympics may be over now, but it went out with a bang, giving us thrilling scenes even in the very last competitions. One of the most unforgettable moments took place during the rhythmic gymnastics event. Known for incorporating dance and flashy costumes, rhythmic gymnastics marries artistry with sport. One performance that best exemplified this was Taisiia Onofriichuk’s hoop routine that people can’t stop talking about, which drew from the iconic Michael Jackson “Thriller” music video.
The memorable performance took place during the women’s rhythmic individual all-around competition. In this event, each athlete presents four routines, one for each apparatus—ball, clubs, ribbon, and hoop. Onofriichuk, a 16-year-old Ukrainian gymnast, took to the floor for her hoop routine wearing a sparkly red suit with black details that evoke Jackson’s outfit in the spooky 1983 video.
Beyond the choice of music and her costume, the real tribute in Onofriichuk’s performance was the way she translated the dance moves from the video—particularly those of the famous zombie scene—into her routine. The gymnast expertly executed her delicate jumps and threw the hoop 9 meters into the air giving her enough time to turn her hands into monster hands and give the audience a final eerie stare, just like Jackson does in the video.
Onofriichuk got a score of 34.250 for her Thriller hoop performance, which helped her move on to the finals, where she finished fourth overall. Her performance was even more impressive given that she wasn’t sure if she’d even make it to the Olympics at all, due to the uncertainty the war has brought for her and her team.
“We didn’t know if we would even get here, because during the last attack before we left, we thought we wouldn’t survive,” Iryna Blokhina, the team leader, told Reuters.
“This moment means a lot more to me than people can imagine,” Onofriichuk said.
Speaking about her now-viral routine, she said, “I felt calm inside…I’m incredibly proud to be representing Ukraine right now, especially during war and the conditions that we’re training in, under bombs and under daily attacks.”
You can watch Onofriichuk’s “Thriller” routine below.
Rhythmic gymnast Taisiia Onofriichuk performed a hoop routine inspired by the Michael Jackson “Thriller” music video that people can’t stop talking about.
The 16-year-old Ukrainian gymnast took to the floor for her hoop routine wearing a sparkly red suit with black details inspired by Jackson’s outfit in the spooky 1983 video.
The real tribute in Onofriichuk’s performance was the way she translated the dance moves from the video—particularly those of the famous zombie scene—into her routine.
Watch Onofriichuk’s “Thriller” routine below.
16-year-old Ukrainian Taisiia Onofriichuk makes everyone go crazy at #Olympics as she performs to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’
A legendary song, and a future legendary #Ukraine‘s rhythmic gymnast? #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/9FKHfaMg4G
— UATV English (@UATV_en) August 8, 2024
Taniia Onofriichuk: Instagram
h/t: [LADbible]
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