From March 1 to 3, 2024, the Athletics Indoor World Championships took place in Glasgow (Scotland). In the 60-meter hurdles, there was an athlete who stood out due to a very specific gesture. Many anime fans may find this pose familiar from One Piece.
What kind of pose was seen? The athlete Lorenzo Ndele Simonelli is a big fan of One Piece. His Instagram name is even monkey_d_lollo. He competed in the 60-meter hurdles at this year’s World Championships. In this discipline, he was so fast that he even won the silver medal.
To celebrate his victory properly, he struck his best winner’s pose: He squatted with legs spread, placed a fist on the ground, and put on a straw hat. Does that sound familiar?
This pose is characteristic of Monkey D. Luffy when he transforms into his Gear 2 form. He strikes the ground with his fist and pumps himself up. This makes Luffy even stronger and enables him to take on more powerful opponents.
Meanwhile, Luffy has reached Gear 5, which is also seen on Egghead Island:
Athlete Makes Luffy the Star of the World Championship
What other pose was seen? But that’s not all: Simonelli not only mimicked Luffy’s Gear 2 but also his latest transformation. In another picture, he jumps just like Luffy did in his very first Gear 5 transformation.
On his Instagram account, there is a picture of him jumping with his straw hat and his home country’s national flag. He writes the following text:
IN POSSESSION OF A BODY THAT HAS THE PROPERTIES OF RUBBER… HE FIGHTS AS HE PLEASES AND BRINGS A SMILE TO EVERYONE HE HITS. THE LIBERATION WARRIOR, ALSO KNOWN AS… NIKA, THE SUN GOD.
A WAKING WOULD BRING MORE STRENGTH AND FREEDOM TO HIS RUBBER BODY. IT IS SAID THAT THERE IS NO MORE RIDICULOUS POWER IN THE WHOLE WORLD…!
I hope I made a few of you smile as Nika, hihihihihi….
Lorenzo Ndele Simonelli, Instagram
Even in the interview after his victory, Simonelli remained true to his idol. He said he was Monkey D. Luffy and would become the Pirate King. He also referred to his straw hat and revealed that Luffy’s Gear 5 form helped him reach the podium.
There are other athletes who are big fans of One Piece. The German footballer Julian Brandt also caught attention with a pose when he scored a winning goal. However, he didn’t mimic Monkey D. Luffy but rather his competitor Trafalgar Law.
MeinMMO has listed 4 more athletes who have incorporated One Piece into their disciplines: One Piece in Sports: 5 iconic moves from the anime that motivated athletes
