When the Olympics come around every two years, so does a fresh batch of incredible athletes who are really good at their jobs. For eager fans, developing crushes can be an inevitable part of the Games.
As the 2024 Paris Olympics come to a close, hundreds of people will take home medals for their accomplishments and instill a sense of pride in the hearts of their compatriots. But today, we honor the ones that managed to seize the attention — and thirst — of social media users.
From dreamy track and field athletes to stone-cold shooting stars, here are the most crushworthy competitors from the 2024 Games.
Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall
When Tara Davis-Woodhall won the gold medal in the long jump, she ran directly to her husband, Paralympian Hunter Woodhall. "Oh my god, baby, you're the Olympic champion!" he exclaimed as they celebrated in each other's arms. Fans have been swooning over their love for each other.
Kim Ye-ji
The South Korean sharpshooter went viral for her icy glare and backward hat. She won a silver medal in the women's 10m air pistol.
Her style is often contrasted with the casual look of Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikeç, who took home a silver medal and gets an honorable mention here.
Stephen Nedoroscik
Appearing zen (and possibly asleep) in the final moments leading up to his event, pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik went viral when he took off his glasses and helped secure a bronze medal for U.S. men's gymnastics in the team final, as well as for individual men's pommel horse. He's also really good with a Rubik's cube.
Ilona Maher
After ruling the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with her ultra-popular TikToks, Team USA rugby player Ilona Maher is back and better than ever. Literally — the team took home a bronze medal for the first time.
Henrik Christiansen
Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen has endeared himself to a legion of new fans after posting persistently about the chocolate muffins available at the Olympic Village, which are apparently really good.
Noah Lyles
The fastest man on Earth is also one of the most stylish. The anime-loving athlete, who won gold in the men's 100m race, frequently has his nails painted and shows off ahead of his races. His energy might be a little controversial for some, but others argue he's earned the right to be over-the-top.
Sha’Carri Richardson
Speaking of athletes with incredible style, Sha'Carri Richardson is well known for her hair and nails. She won silver in the women's 100m race — an incredible redemption after being disqualified from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Jules Bouyer
The French diver ... well, just look at him.
Evy Leibfarth
The bronze medalist is beloved on TikTok, where she's bringing awareness to the niche sport of women's canoe slalom. Fans found her overjoyed reaction to her win extremely endearing.
Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis
The Swedish pole-vaulter, a two-time Olympic champion, has been compared to Timothée Chalamet and Jeremy Allen White. He jokingly parodied Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikeç's stance after winning because he was "dared" to.
Gabby Thomas
The Harvard graduate has a master's degree in epidemiology, and as of the 2024 Paris Olympics, an Olympic gold medal. She won the women's 200m race on Aug. 6.
Thomas Ceccon
The Italian swimmer won gold in the men's 100m backstroke. After he was spotted sleeping in a Paris park, he slammed the lack of air-conditioning in the Olympic Village.
Alysha Newman
The Canadian pole-vaulter and OnlyFans model twerked in celebration when she won a bronze medal.
Rhasidat Adeleke
A "messy race" didn't stop Rhasidat Adeleke from making history as the first Irish woman to make it to a sprint final in the Olympics.
Giorgia Villa
Viral photos of the Italian gymnast posing with wheels of cheese earned her a ton of appreciation online. She overcame multiple injuries and earned a silver medal in the women's gymnastics team event.
Tom Daley
The British diver has been a mainstay at the Summer Olympics since 2008. He's racked up five medals along the way, including a silver this year — but what might be his most heartwarming quality is his tendency to go viral, be it for knitting Olympic sweaters or reenacting that scene from Titanic as the U.K.'s flag bearer in the opening ceremony.
Simone Biles
If being the most decorated gymnast in history wasn't enough, Simone Biles overcame physical and mental challenges after dropping out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Simply qualifying for the 2024 Games is amazing, but she won three gold medals and a silver. Even Elmo loves her.
Updated, August 9, 2024, 10:26 a.m.: This story was originally published on Aug. 8, 2024 and has been updated to include Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall.
Most Popular
Comments / 0