Numerous Olympics viewers have called for gold medal winner Ethan Katzberg to take a DNA test after expressing some suspicions about his heritage.
Long, blond(ish), wavy hair, a thick moustache and an athletic physique. Does that call to mind any particular country for you?
Ethan Katzberg won a gold medal for his team. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Admittedly the latter feature is one pretty much every Olympian has in common, but the other two aren’t quite as prevalent.
All three are features held by Katzberg, who appeared at Paris 2024 to take part in the hammer throw on day nine of the games.
The athlete secured a gold medal with an impressive throw measuring 84.12 metres, but not everyone was focused on his performance.
Instead, a lot of people were stuck on the country that Katzberg was representing at the Olympics: Canada.
Now, we all know you can’t judge a book by its cover, and similarly you can’t judge a person’s country by what they look like.
Ethan Katzberg is a confirmed Canadian. (Kevin Voigt/GettyImages)
But it’s not that Katzberg didn’t look Canadian – he just happened to fit a good few stereotypes often associated with another country instead.
Taking to Twitter to share their thoughts about the athlete, one person wrote: “Nah I want a DNA test this man is clearly Australian.”
Another responded: “They’re just appropriating the Aussie male look.”
“He’s probably a secret aussie,” wrote a third.
One viewer responded to admit Katzberg did have an ‘Australian energy’, but insisted he was ‘for sure Canadian’.
A quick Google of Katzberg reveals he was indeed born in Canada, more specifically in Nanaimo, British Columbia, in April 2002.
He’s proven his talents time and again, having become the first Canadian to win a world title in hammer throw at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
His win also made him the youngest man to ever win a hammer throw world title, as well as the youngest world championship medallist ever in the men’s hammer throw, according to the Canada Olympics website.
Viewers were convinced Katzberg is Australian. (X)
Katzberg reflected on his win after his appearance at Paris 2024, admitting his success even took him by surprise.
He said: “I don’t think I expected it, but I had the preparation in mind to get a good round on the first throw, and to throw 84 metres felt really good.”
Katzberg was followed in the hammer throw event by Hungary’s Bence Halasz, won silver with a throw measuring 79.97, and Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan, who came in third place with a throw of 79.39.