This Athlete Won A Commonwealth Games Medal Then Went STRAIGHT Back To Her Shift At McDonald's — And The Internet Can't Handle It 🥉

Stop everything — because this Commonwealth Games story is equal parts inspiring and absolutely WILD.

22-year-old judoka Summer Shaw won Scotland's first medal at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (a bronze in the 48kg category, no less), then went straight back to work at McDonald's. Yes, really.

And when someone at work pointed out how crazy that was, Shaw decided to post a five-second TikTok about it "for funsies." The clip has now been viewed over ONE MILLION times, and the comments section is a whole mood.

The Internet Had THOUGHTS

"People were asking: 'How is this possible?'" Shaw told BBC Sport. "They were like: 'This shouldn't be allowed.'"

Honestly? We get it. The whiplash of going from a Commonwealth podium to asking "would you like fries with that?" is… a lot.

One TikTok comment summed it up perfectly: "Superman also had a side hustle." 💀

Why Elite Athletes Are Working Part-Time Jobs

Here's the thing: Shaw isn't some casual competitor juggling a hobby. She's a world-class athlete with her sights set on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

But according to BBC Sport, having a part-time job is "very common" for elite athletes in sports like judo — because the money just isn't there like it is in football or Formula One.

The Tea ☕

• Shaw gets an Athlete Performance Award (APA) from UK Sport and the National Lottery that covers living and training costs
• But she still has to pay for some competitions herself — like her upcoming trip to Peru for the Grand Prix, which "cost quite a bit of money"
• She's been working at McDonald's since she was studying for her A-levels, and they've been "really flexible" with her schedule

"The money I get covers my living expenses, which is a blessing and not to be taken for granted," Shaw explained to BBC Sport. "But I'm also a normal person! Like, I want to save for a house."

She's Not Quitting Anytime soon

Shaw picked up the McDonald's gig back when she was studying for her A-levels (she's based in Surrey but qualifies to represent Scotland through her dad's side). She's since been studying biology in Birmingham, which keeps her close to the British Judo training centre in Walsall.

And honestly? She's got no plans to quit even if a big sponsorship comes through.

"I've met so many of my close friends there, and my boyfriend! So I owe a lot of good things in my life to that McDonald's," she told BBC Sport.

Though she admits having a sponsor would be a "game-changer" — it would mean she could be "more selective" about shifts rather than thinking "I really should work because I've got a competition coming up and I don't want it to take a hit to my bank account."

Shaw's also set up a GoFundMe to help fund her Olympic dream, because elite sport in 2026 is EXPENSIVE, apparently.

From Medal Ceremony To The Drive-Thru Window

Let's just pause and appreciate the timeline here: Shaw won her bronze medal on the last Friday of the Glasgow Games. The next week, she was back home in Surrey and back on shift. Two to three shifts a week, fitting it around training.

"To get there was crazy, and to come away with a medal was even better," she said about the Commonwealth Games. "It's so cool when it's something you've dreamed of doing since you were eight years old — and suddenly you're there."

And then suddenly you're… taking orders for a Big Mac. The duality of elite sport in 2026, folks! 🏅🍟

So here's the question: should Commonwealth medal winners have to work part-time jobs to fund their Olympic dreams, or nah? Let us know in the comments below.

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Sources:

• BBC Sport: 'I won Commonwealth bronze - then went back to work at McDonald's'