But before Ning received this kind of attention, he was already making waves by being the first Asian to swim 100 meters under 48 seconds. Media started calling him "China's Hottest Olympic Swimmer" afterward.
Another Chinese athletes getting much attention is Ma Long who beat Nigerian player Aruna Quadri under 28 minutes in table tennis. Zhang Jike is also catching the media's eye.
Both Chinese swimming and table tennis athletes are making observers excited. Tyler Vasquez, a journalist from the U.S., is one of the biggest fans of the team.
"I'm a big fan of the Chinese national team," he said, "I quickly became fascinated with the sport, and came to revere the skills of players like Ma Long and Zhang Jike."
Vazquez observed that Ma Long is very aggressive on the table and was thrilled when he saw the player shout his signature "Cho!"
"To see Zhang out here pumping his fist and yelling 'Cho!' is so amazing to witness," the journalist said. "He is bringing everything he has to these matches. He's an aggressive player with an attitude to match. I always think of him as the bad boy of table tennis."
Meanwhile, a Google search showed that Chinese swimmer Ning is making fans excited as well. Netizens are taking their admiration on social media.
The Daily Mail ran a story on Ning with a headline that read, "I need to touch your abs."
Several users on Weibo posted words of admiration for Ning.
One user said, "Move aside, I want to be the goggles inside his mouth!"
Ning's dramatic comeback has been observed at remarkable. He was banned in 2011 for ingesting the chemical clenbuterol, a substance found in meat.
He is the current top holder for 50 meters and 100-meter freestyle. In 2014, he snagged four gold medals in the Asian games in Seoul.