'I'm dying': Rafa Nadal's stunning act for Olympic medalist

·Sports Reporter

1 August 2021 at 11:46 pm·2-min read

Ray Zapata (pictured left) crying on the podium at the Olympics and Rafael Nadal (pictured right) smiling during training. — Ray Zapata (pictured left) was thrilled to receive a message from tennis icon Rafael Nadal (pictured right) after his silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. (Getty Images)

Spanish Olympic silver medalist Rayderley Zapata was thrilled to have made the podium after clinching silver at the Tokyo Olympics and he was just as stunned to have tennis legend Rafa Nadal reach out to him.

Zapata sparked beautiful scenes on the podium after he won the silver medal for Spain on the men's floor routine after an unreal performance.

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The Spaniard burst into tears on the podium and afterwards held up a bib with his child's name on it.

But, the surprises weren't over yet for the Olympic medalist.

Following the well-deserved silver medal, Zapata was thrilled to see a message from 20-time Grand Slam champion Nadal.

Nadal has been watching the Olympics intently and has reached out to a number of Spanish athletes.

Zapata, having made history for Spain in gymnastics, was clearly all smiles after hearing from the tennis icon.

"I'm dying," Zapata wrote, accompanied with a photo of Nadal's message.

Rafa Nadal sent Rayderly Zapara a message on Instagram after his silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. (Image: Instagram)

Zapata also reposted Nadal's stories praising the silver medalist.

Rayderly Zapata's beautiful message to baby girl

The Spaniard finished with the same score as gold medalist Artem Dolgopyat.

But Dolgopyat's .01 higher degree of difficulty in the tiebreak landed him the gold.

Rayderley Zapata (pictured) holds up a bib in celebration after competing in the floor event during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. — Rayderley Zapata (pictured) celebrates after competing in the floor event of the artistic gymnastics men's floor exercise final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images) (LOIC VENANCE via Getty Images)

Regardless, Zapata was all smiles and used the moment to dedicate the medal to his baby girl.

"The bib I was holding up is for my baby girl, Olympia," he said.

"I dedicate the medal to her, 100 per cent. She is two months old."

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