Olympic athletes not only have to be at peak physical fitness and mental clarity to compete among peers within their respective sports for their country, but thanks to the games being televised worldwide with high-definition cameras from all angles, many also want to look good doing it.
American track and field athlete Florence Griffith Joyner, nicknamed Flo-Jo, was one of the first Olympic athletes to show some stylish flair while competing. She would rock up to track with her hair styled down, long, colourful nails and a red lip, in addition to a bold outfit—a stark contrast to the idea of the traditionally practical and frills-free dress of athletes.
Today, more athletes are pushing the boundaries of beauty—within the sport’s guidelines, of course—and we explore the rituals and routines and why they matter.
Read more: Meet the Hong Kong athletes who have qualified for Paris Olympics 2024
Elaborate braids
In addition to her ferocious speed, Team USA runner Sha’Carri Richardson is best known for her glamorous looks—notably bedazzled talons, feathery eyelashes and intricate braided hairstyles—while charging down the track, which she has credited to Flo-Jo’s confident approach to beauty on her Instagram page before.
She wore long red and yellow braids while competing in Budapest in 2023, modelled floor-length braids for a Nike x Jacquemus campaign in March this year, and sported tight braids with chunky, rounded beads in an interview alongside rapper Cardi B earlier this month.
Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka is also no stranger to wearing elaborate braided hairstyles while competing on the court, and at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she represented her home country with her uniform and a set of complementary red and white braids.
Playful manicures
American gymnast Sunisa Lee not only makes her vault, balance beam, uneven bars and floor routines look effortless, but she also looks stylish doing them thanks to the chic manicures she dons that elevate her finishing poses.
The gold medallist has recently become a brand ambassador for beauty brand Kiss Products’ Salon X-tend LED Soft Gel System nail extensions, which she will be sporting at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Hong Kong swimmer Camille Cheng expressed to Tatler in an interview that she turns to manicures to celebrate the competition and enhance her femininity. She shared that the sleek kit they wear (which includes a team swimsuit, goggles and a tight swim cap) doesn’t allow for much personalisation, so a manicure is somewhere swimmers can show off some creativity.
Knox-ed up
Ever wondered how artistic swimmers never have a hair out of place despite moving rapidly in and out of water during a performance? The secret is painting on layers of melted gelatin to seal in the hair, which has been nicknamed “knoxing” in the sport after the Knox brand clear gelatin which is commonly used.
Today, there are specific gelatin brands which serve the same purpose and are conveniently packaged to avoid having to mix the correct ratio of powder to water, including Synkro Gelatin by SynkroLovers which Team GB artistic swimming duo Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe have used.
Daniella Ramirez of Team USA has gone viral on social media for posting clips of her “knoxed” hair, including how she styles her hair with gelatin and ASMR style videos that share how the gelatin hardens into a shell.
Groomed eyebrows
Eyebrows do a great deal to frame one’s face, and when the world is all eyes on an athlete, it can provide a great deal of confidence to them knowing they’re well groomed. Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, shared in a YouTube video from 2021 that she gets her eyebrows microbladed and doesn’t need to touch them unless they need filling in, which helps speed up her process of getting ready before a competition.
Australian swimmer Cate Campbell did not qualify for the Paris Olympics and will be leaving competitive swimming, however, the athlete has competed in the previous four events and shared in a YouTube video from last year that she “religiously” dyed her eyebrows before a race. She explains that chlorine “has a particular vendetta against eyebrows”, as the disinfectant can cause eyebrow hairs to fade or fall out from repeated exposure in a pool.
Smooth shaving
Swimmers don’t only shave for cosmetic purposes; there’s both a physical and psychological element to the practice that can make enough of a difference to win a gold medal. Retired US champions Michael Phelps—the most decorated Olympic swimmer in history—and Cullen Jones, who holds the world record in the 4×100-metre freestyle relay, have shared how shaving can improve swimming.
In an interview with sports commentator Joe Buck for Undeniable in January, Phelps shared that while training ahead of US National competitions, he wouldn’t touch his face or body hair for up to four months. Right before the race, he would shave down and it would even improve his race time by five seconds.
Jones further explained this logic in an interview with Associated Press from 2023, saying, “Most swimmers want to have as much drag as possible to kind of feel like they’re training harder.”
While shaving can reduce drag reduction in the water and make a swimmer more hydrodynamic, as documented by a 1989 study, the difference in sensation during swimming greatly benefits swimmers.
Jones added that “a lot it is mental”. “I do think most swimmers shave because there is a feel for the water you get when you don’t have the hair [or] dead skin on your body anymore. There’s that edge.”
Phelps’ longtime coach Bob Bowman agreed with the mental aspect of the ritual in the same interview. “You definitely feel different when you do it—I think that’s the key,” he said.
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