From Cosmopolitan

As if getting out of bed in the morning when you have period cramps isn't already difficult enough, just imagine what it'd be like to have them while trying to compete in the Olympics.

Such was the case for Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui, who got her period the night before she was set to compete in the women's 4x100-meter relay Saturday. After completing the race and earning fourth place with her teammates, a reporter innocently asked her why she was on the ground clutching her stomach and doubled over in pain. (Been there, girl.)

"I feel I didn't swim well today - I let my teammates down," she responded. "My period came last night, and I'm really tired right now. But this isn't an excuse, I still didn't swim as well as I should have."

Many were quick to applaud Fu for her honesty, while others debated whether or not it was "hygienic" for a woman to get into a swimming pool on her period in the first place. (Spoiler alert: It's totally fine.) Fu's comments also sparked a discussion on China's popular social media app Sina Weibo about the use of tampons, which aren't widely used there.

"Someone accused Fu of lying, asking how she could have gone in the water on her period," one user wrote, according to the BBC. "Chinese people have prejudices about tampons - as a woman over 30, I'd been ignorant and full of fear about tampons until now too."

Given how much of a taboo topic menstruation continues to be - both in professional sports and in general - Fu may not have won a medal this race, but she definitely wins the gold for girl power.

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