Alica Schmidt, a German track champion, has been a head-turner for many years, and now she is receiving attention for her track prowess.
The beautiful 23-year-old recently qualified for the European Championships, and although she finished last in her 400m semi-final in Munich
she gained a great deal from the international competition, particularly when she cried happy tears after winning her heat.
She enjoyed competing in front of family and friends in familiar environs, and she now understands what she must do to reach her athletic potential.
This was my primary objective for the year,' she wrote online earlier this month after qualifying for the European finals.
I have worked so diligently and made so many sacrifices to compete in front of my home crowd in Munich.
Schmidt, a social media sensation with 3.2 million Instagram followers, has a very unusual pre-race ritual in which she repeatedly slaps herself before the starting gun goes off
She believes the unusual strategy channels her energy, and if she qualifies for the 2024 Olympics in Paris