Here’s our guide to the athletes who have taken the internet by storm and become viral sensations at this year's Olympics!
ADVERTISEMENTThe Paris Olympics is drawing to a close, and what an incredible two weeks of sport it has been.
This summer's Games have produced not only a slew of medalists but also a new wave of viral sensations and memes online.
From a Norwegian athlete with an insatiable love for chocolate muffins to a stone-cold South Korean sharpshooter, here are the Olympians that have become some of the most beloved figures on the internet.
Giorgia Villa: Say cheese!
Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa missed the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to a sprained ankle, but despite lingering back injuries, she made history at this year's Paris Games.
Alongside teammates Angela Andreoli, Alice D’Amato, Manila Esposito, and Elisa Iorio, Villa helped Italy win silver in the women’s team final, marking the country's best Olympic gymnastics result since 1928.
But, it wasn’t just her impressive performance that made her a social media sensation - it was her past gig as an ambassador for Parmigiano Reggiano cheese that stole the show.
Immediately after the women's team final, images of a 2021 advertising campaign showing Villa in a leotard next to a giant wheel of the hard, grainy cheese, one hand resting proudly on a chunk of the iconic cheese, began to circulate on social networks.
“Since I was a child I’ve always loved this amazing product, a symbol of excellence and Italian culture,” Villa said when the sponsorship deal kicked off. According to Italian media, the deal ended in 2022.
Villa, we totally get it - who could resist parmesan cheese?
Henrik Christiansen: Do you know the muffin man?
Parmesan isn’t the only food that’s made waves in the Olympics.
Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen has become a TikTok sensation with his obsession over the Olympic Village’s chocolate muffins.
It all began on 26 July when the athlete posted a video reviewing meals he’d eaten so far in the Olympic Village. He gave the pesto pasta and pork skewers a solid 7/10 and the shrimp dumplings and chicken gyozas an 8/10. But it was a humble "choccy muffin" that received his highest score: an unprecedented 11/10. And thus, a legend was born.
Since his first food review video, Christiansen has posted more than 15 more videos dedicated to the Olympic Village chocolate muffin - and people can't get enough.
In one especially popular video, which has racked up more than 17 million views, a teammate teases, “I feel like you’re just here for the chocolate muffins,” before the camera cuts to Christiansen devouring one of the muffins. “What?” he responds with chocolate smeared on his face.
In case you're wondering, the muffins in question are made by French food supplier Coup De Pates - their “Maxi Muffin Chocolat Intense", to be exact!
ADVERTISEMENTAnthony Ammirati: The pole vaulter who became famous for his... baguette
Anthony Ammirati knows the whole internet is talking about him - he just wishes it were for a completely different reason.
The French pole vault specialist went viral after he missed his target height and knocked down the pole with his... bulge. Sadly, his "manhood" landed the Olympian in 12th place.
While the 21-year-old athlete missed out on winning a medal, he's now been offered a lucrative career in the adult industry.
The vice president of porn site CamSoda, Daryn Parker, has reportedly offered the Frenchman a six-figure sum to show off his “talent”.
ADVERTISEMENTAccording to TMZ, which claims to have received a copy of the letter, Parker told Ammirati: "If it was up to me, I’d award you for what everyone else saw, your talent below the belt. (...) As a lover of crotch-centric activities, I'd love to offer you up to $250,000 in exchange for a 60-minute webcam show, in which you show off your goods, minus the crossbar, of course."
Apparently, Ammirati has yet to respond to CamSoda's offer.
Yusuf Dikec: Turkish John Wick
Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec went viral for his seemingly casual attitude while shooting his way to a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics.
The most-shared images of Dikec show him casually firing in a T-shirt, one hand in his pocket, rocking a seemingly standard pair of glasses, and an impassive look on his face.
ADVERTISEMENTFans have compared him to an ordinary guy who just wandered into the Olympics - or even a real-life John Wick in action.
Ultimately, Dikec's laidback approach won him a silver medal in mixed team 10-metre air pistol shooting. It was Turkey's first-ever medal in Olympic shooting.
Kim Yeji: The coolest shooter of all time
Dikec wasn't the only shooter to catch the internet's attention.
Republic of Korea pistol shooter Kim Yeji's confident, nonchalant demeanour and dramatic stance also brought her praise on social media, with many admiring her “main character energy”.
ADVERTISEMENTIn her event, Yeji appeared as if she had stepped right out of a cyberpunk fanfic, with her wire-rimmed shooting glasses, sleek Fila tracksuit and an adorable elephant plushie charm hanging from her waist.
Yeji clinched silver in the 10 metre air pistol women’s event, narrowly missing gold to by her Olympic Village roommate, Oh Ye Jin, who set a new Olympic Record.
These two surely need to star in an action movie together, right?
Yaroslava Mahuchikh: Sleeping beauty
Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh surprised everyone by bringing a sleeping bag into the stadium to relax between jumps, and it turned out to be a winning strategy!
ADVERTISEMENTBetween jumps, Mahuchikh would wrap the sleeping bag around her legs, stretch out on a mattress, and rest her head on her bag.
Her nap strategy paid off, as she went on to win gold in the event.
When asked about her unique relaxation routine after winning gold, Mahuchikh told Time: “I feel comfortable when I lay and sometimes I can watch the clouds,” she told the outlet.
"Sometimes I can count numbers, 1,2,3,4, or breathe in, breathe out. It's like, relax, [and] not think about that I'm at [the] stadium" she added.
ADVERTISEMENTGabriel Medina: The surfer behind the defining photo of the Paris Olympics
An extraordinary image of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina celebrating after leaping out from a wave with his board flying perfectly parallel to him, has made Medina a global sensation.
It was snapped by AFP photographer Jerome Brouillet after Medina scored a near-perfect 9.90-scoring wave on Day 3 of the surfing competition in Tahiti.
The photo, posted by Medina on his Instagram, has now picked up more than 9 million likes. The surfer secured a bronze medal overall, beating out Peru's Alonso Correa in the third place matchup.
Stephen Nedoroscik: The Clark Kent of pommel horse
25-year-old American gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik catapulted to fame after his standout performances on the pommel horse.
ADVERTISEMENTNedoroscik secured a bronze medal in the pommel horse event just five days after helping the American men’s gymnastics team win bronze - its first Olympic medal in 16 years.
Along the way, his endearing personality and geeky charm captured the hearts of fans everywhere - especially on the internet. Memes and tweets have likened him to Clark Kent taking off his glasses and transforming into a hero.
Snoop Dogg : The rapper who's been on one big side quest
While Snoop Dogg might not technically be an Olympic athlete, he’s definitely been the MVP of Olympic star power!
The "Gin and Juice" rapper was invited by NBC to work on their Olympic coverage as a special correspondent - and what a pleasure its been.
ADVERTISEMENTFrom attending the equestrian with his longtime pal Martha Stewart to taking swimming lessons with Michael Phelps, Snoop's playful antics and hilarious commentary have led to some incredible moments.
It's really impossible to hate this man.
NBC have reportedly splashed out around $500,000 (€458,000) a day plus expenses for Snoop to be there. Well, if they’ve got any sense, they’ll bring him back in four years' time, too - because this man is worth every penny.
