Alika Schmidt surprised fans by kissing her secret boyfriend on live TV.
The German athlete has a huge fan base on Instagram with 5 million followers.
Schmidt, 25, frequently shares updates on her training and performance.
However, she usually chooses to keep her private life private.
The runner gave fans a glimpse into his life off the track after the German Championships in Braunschweig.
Schmidt advanced to the final with a qualifying time of 52.18 seconds, just 11ths of a second slower than her personal best.
She was so thrilled with the results that she ran up to the photographer and gave him a kiss.
Television cameras captured her giving a high-five before opening the kiss.
German media outlet Bild reported that the photographer was Freddy Richter-Mendau and that the pair have been a couple for around eight years.
What’s more, Schmidt is said to have moved to Potsdam in 2017 to be closer to the 27-year-old player.
Schmidt has kept their relationship out of the public eye as he doesn’t post any photos of the couple on his Instagram account.
After the final, Schmidt admitted he was happy with his performance this year: “This is the most important year of my career.
“That’s why I’m so happy that things are going well now.
“These have been my highlights so far and I’ve been able to show what I’m capable of. Of course, I want to keep going like this.”
Schmidt is scheduled to compete in the 400-meter relay at the Paris Olympics.