Missy Franklin won gold on Monday, and the teenage swimmer has become so popular that she even has Justin Bieber cheering her on.
“Heard @FranklinMissy is a fan of mine. now im a fan of hers too. CONGRATS on winning GOLD!,” tweeted Bieber, with the hashtag “much love.”
So how did she respond to that? “I just died,” Franklin tweeted back.
Sure, it’s cool that she got some love from the teenage heartthrob, but Franklin earned something far more special in London—a gold medal.
She seized the No. 1 prize after coming out on top in the 100-meter backstroke, earning her second medal of the Olympic Games. Franklin secured her first Olympic medal, a bronze, in the team relay earlier in the Games.
Even more impressive, Franklin competed in the 100-meter just 15 minutes after swimming for a spot in the finals in the 200 freestyle. Even America’s most prolific swimmer, Michael Phelps, was amazed at how quick Franklin recovered before racing for gold.
She still has five more events go, which means America—and the rest of the world—has a handful more opportunities to catch that infectious smile that the 17-year-old put on display after earning a trip to the medal podium.
“I am so happy, I knew that tonight was definitely going to be difficult with that double but I had a blast with it, it was so much fun…I couldn’t be happier,” Franklin told NBC after the event.
“I am so grateful for everything that has happened,” Franklin tweeted to her growing Twitter fan base, which stands at nearly 110,000. “God has blessed me with so much. Thank you so much for all the love and support!”
