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Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Fans rave over Dutch windsurfer’s Last Airbender haircut which he credits for helping him win gold

Channeling Aang’s power saw Kiran windsurf his way to gold (Picture: Nickelodeon/AP/EPA)

Dutch windsurfer Kiran Badloe has proven a massive hit at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, not just for winning gold in the men’s RS:X windsurfing class.

The athlete also captured the attention and delight of viewers with his bold haircut, his hair shaved into the shape of a blue arrow pointing in the direction of his forehead in homage to Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the adventures of Aang, a 12-year-old master airbender who has the ability to bend all four elements.

So it would seem fitting that the 26-year-old would choose to pay tribute to the protagonist of the animated series, in the hope that some of Aang’s powers would give him an extra boost.

Ahead of the final event of his category, when it was pretty much certain Kiran was going to walk away with the gold medal, he explained the significance of his haircut, for which he has received scores of adoring messages from fans across the globe.

‘It’s about a kid that controls the wind, and he needs to control all different kinds of elements of nature in order to do something great, and I’m doing the same here,’ he told Reuters.

Kiran won gold for the Netherlands (Picture: EPA/Olivier Hoslet)

‘I need to be in tune with the wind and in tune with the water and everything around, and hopefully that leads me to something great.’

When asked whether he thought the haircut actually helped him out at the Tokyo Olympics, the windsurfer broke into a massive grin before replying: ‘I have been able to piece something together in these Olympics races, so I think it worked in my favour.’

Several fans of The Last Airbender were ecstatic to see Kiran pay tribute to Aang during his Olympics campaign.

‘Avatar Ang has awoken to be a windsurfer… Legend!’ one person tweeted.

‘My man Kiran Badloe wins Olympic gold after going full Avatar. Love to see it,’ another said.

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‘I have just become aware of Kiran Badloe and his Avatar hairstyle for the Olympics and I am officially obsessed,’ someone else remarked.

‘And I believe, Kiran can save the world *insert climactic Avatar theme music*,’ another commented.

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