We previously covered Olympic sprint gold medalist Noah Lyles who went viral for showing off a portrait drawn by "Baki" creator Keisuke Itagaki ahead of the "Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships." He even struck Satoru Gojo's "Unlimited Void" domain expansion pose from "Jujutsu Kaisen" before a race, drawing a lot of attention to the athletes.
Yesterday (September 15), during the 110m hurdles, Japanese-Togolese athlete Rashid Murata (村竹ラシッド) also became a hot topic. Before his race, he busted out a classic pose from "Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo," earning major props from netizens and spectators for his creativity.
The 23-year-old Rashid Murata, whose father is Togolese and mother is Japanese, specializes in hurdles and even snagged fifth place in the 110m hurdles final at the 2024 Olympics. Turns out, he's also a huge anime fan, particularly of "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure," and previously went viral for striking a "JoJo Pose" at the Olympics.
▼ Rashid Murata's unforgettable JoJo Pose at the Paris Olympics.
As he confidently struck the "chuunibyou" pose for the camera upon entering the stadium, the crowd erupted in cheers. Post-race, he laughed, saying, "Honestly, I didn't expect so many people to be here; I was genuinely surprised, but it was amazing to compete in front of such an audience." Online, fans quickly identified it as a tribute to the signature pose of Bobobo, the protagonist of the popular manga "Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo." He admitted it was also a way to relax himself.
This "Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo" pose totally caught Japanese netizens off guard! Many expected another "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" reference, so seeing Bobobo instead had them exclaiming, "That pose actually looks so cool!" Some even joked, "Lyles opens his domain, and Murata counters with Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo?"
Rashid Murata also clocked in at 13.22 seconds, securing second place in his qualifying heat and advancing to the semifinals.
It seems the "Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships" is becoming a playground for athletes to drop anime references, grabbing more attention for the event and helping them stand out. If you're into track and field, definitely keep an eye on the action!
