https://twitter.com/RachelRoseGold1/status/962526424472211456
The 2018 Olympics are the first in the history of the event in which athletes are allowed to perform to songs with lyrics, so naturally the Olympians in PyeongChang, South Korea are making the most of the rule change. Maé-Bérénice Méité of France made the ultimate song choice for her figure skating moment: Beyoncé’s 2011 “Who Run The World (Girls).” Méité twirled and skated with an enviable ease to the empowerment anthem, which you can watch above.
Méité’s not the only one enjoying the shift in rules. South Korea’s ice skaters Yura Min and Alexander Gamelin busted out one of 2017’s most popular earworms, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito.” The slowed-down version of the song shifted into a medley that also included Mariah Carey’s “My All” and Thalia’s “Mujer Latina.” Watch a clip of the routine below.
@LuisFonsi @daddy_yankee First I hear Aguanile song, then Despacito song! PR music on fire! Latin flavor on the Winter Olympics! Boom! pic.twitter.com/1g5BWk3QLg
— Christine Abreu (@AbreuChristine6) February 11, 2018
The rule change that allowed performances to songs with lyrics was enacted shortly after the 2014 Winter Olympics by the International Skating Union. It’s obviously opened up an endless amount of options for the Olympians and has added a spark of excitement to a sport that’s known for its stiff rules and regulations, as showcased by the Oscar-nominated film I, Tonya. And who knows — maybe this means that we’ll one day see a graceful figure skating routine set to “Bartier Cardi.”
