‘I’m in love’: Japanese Olympian Ran Takahashi wins gold in making the Internet swoon
The Olympics is a time of high spirits and even higher emotions—and that goes for the Internet’s favorite sport: simping.
Japanese volleyball player Ran Takahashi has captured Twitter’s attention over the past few days, with numerous posts and even fancam videos of the athlete popping up on the site.
Ran is much more than a pretty face though, as the spiker started his Olympic career as captain of the Nippon Sport Science University volleyball team. Under his wing, the team won first-runner up in the 2020 All Japan Intercollegiate Volleyball Championship where Ran was also dubbed Best Scorer.
He’s only 19 years old, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics serves as his Olympics debut. We’ll let the photos (and the fans’ reactions) do the talking.
good afternoon to ran takahashi only pic.twitter.com/vdGPv3yMhI
— miss macalyn?️♀️ (@macabey0nce) July 27, 2021
Ran Takahashi cutie pic.twitter.com/laoi19VITb
— ???? (@cessyproblems) July 28, 2021
I'm in love with Ran Takahashi pic.twitter.com/K4ze0QNE77
— tok on priv (@patrochilleziam) July 28, 2021
can we talk about how beautiful ran takahashi is ? pic.twitter.com/sZpQ9pJVF6
— skye. (@kyoharukei) July 29, 2021
Ran is also growing to be such a fan favorite that people from outside Japan are tuning in to matches to catch a glimpse of the athlete - like these fans.
ran takahashi in today’s match ( ?? vs ?? ) pic.twitter.com/HolcNhaHOY
— ً (@hoepieck) July 30, 2021
DAILY RAN TAKAHASHI pic.twitter.com/uc6zioDSB5
— sun ?宮 (@osamufy) July 28, 2021
He’s even been compared to the character Kageyama Tobio from the popular sports franchise Haikyu!!
ran takahashi and kageyama tobio
— tadashi's freckles (@tadashisfreckl1) July 24, 2021
sharing the same lousy smiles. pic.twitter.com/N7udvgcpYm
I simp to alot of KPOP IDOL But this Handsome Japanese Volleyball Player Hits Different??
— Christine Blue (@ChristineBlue17) July 28, 2021
Ran Takahashi??❤??? pic.twitter.com/4r1JL4559P
ran takahashi's side profile is undeniably handsome ?pic.twitter.com/cmlBuYhs15
— ً (@9teensred) July 27, 2021
Ran's Olympic bout is going well so far as the Japanese men's volleyball team claimed their first win in 29 years this July 25. The team was up against Venezuela and dominated in five straight sets.
They're set to face Iran in another set of preliminary rounds on August 1.
Photos from Getty Images
