Michelle Jenneke- The Dancing Sprinter

Here is a slightly unusual article about an Australian athlete who improved her running times with the very unusual tactic of dancing before races.

Michelle Jenneke is an Australian hurdler who won a bronze medal at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics and came fourth in the 100m hurdles in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She achieved considerable fame and notoriety after a video of her exuberant pre-race dance in 2012 went viral on social media. The footage had been recorded at the 2012 Australian Athletics Championships and showed Jenneke warming up for the women's 100m hurdles by performing an impromptu dance routine.

Jenneke’s funky moves, which include a twerking-type dance set to music by Nicki Minaj and a quick rendition of Gangnam Style, were an instant hit and quickly resulted in a hailstorm of media requests and a raft of sponsorship deals.

In the years that followed the video, Jenneke has rarely hesitated to deploy her unique pre-race warm-up routine and has frequently revealed afterward that she believes it helps her run faster. Jenneke, a fine athlete with a degree in psychology, believes that the dance helps her visualization and gets her in the right frame of mind for the race. And there is psychological research backing up her belief.

Dr. Kate Hays, a performance psychologist, explains that Jenneke's dance routine is likely to benefit her performance in a number of ways. "Firstly, it's a great way to warm up the muscles and get the blood flowing, which is important for any athlete but especially for a sprinter", Dr. Hays says. "Secondly, it's a fun and engaging activity so it likely helps to boost her mood. This can lead to increased motivation and confidence, which are both important for athletic performance."

So, there you have it. If you're looking for a way to improve your running times, you might want to try adding a little bit of dance to your warm-up routine.

On a personal level, I find Michelle Jenneke’s story to be inspiring. She is a talented athlete who’s not afraid to be herself and enjoy herself even when in the spotlight. I think we can all learn a lot from her example.

One of the things that impresses me most about Jenneke, is that she’s not afraid to take risks and try something different. She is also not afraid of what others might think or say. This is something that we can all learn from.

I also think it's great that Jenneke is using her platform to promote body positivity and self-acceptance. She’s repeatedly spoken out against the unrealistic beauty standards that are often imposed on women in the media. She does so in a very positive and humorous way which makes her message even more powerful.

Michelle Jenneke is a role model for many people, not just athletes. She’s a reminder that it’s okay to be yourself and that you should never give up on your dreams.

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