Diamond grills, bedazzled manicures, and beaded cornrows—no one marries sports and style better than these Olympians
The much-anticipated 2024 Paris Games showcase the prowess of the biggest athletes in the world. It also doubles as a stage for beauty to mirror the power and personality of these athletes. So, with the world’s eyes on them, it’s only fitting that they make every leap, strike, and dive a statement of their personal style. Here, we’ve listed 10 Olympians who brought nothing short of their beauty A-game this year.
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Ilona Maher
“Probably wearing lipstick,” her Instagram bio reads. The 27-year-old rugby center has long used her platform to tackle everything from body-shaming to challenging gender stereotypes on and off the field. Winning bronze in the rugby sevens, she went viral for once again sporting her signature red lip at this year’s Games. After all, it’s hard to miss when you’re atop the podium.
Sha’Carri Richardson
The world champion runner is as famous for her perpetually elaborate claws as she is for her speed. At the opening ceremony, she wore an American flag-inspired French tip adorned with jewels. By the semifinals, she wore long stiletto claws resembling colorful stained glass. For the final race, she rocked red, white, and blue nails, with “I’m not Back” painted on her left thumb and “I’m Better” on the right, all bedazzled to perfection. Talk about making a statement.
Noah Lyles
How to look good while winning your first Olympic gold medal? We only take notes from Noah Lyles. The men’s 100-meter champ won the race with pearl beaded cornrows, a national colors-themed nail art that featured lightning bolts, stars, and crosses, and an iced-out mariner link necklace which he also wore at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. If you think wearing all this slows you down on the track, let Lyles tell you otherwise.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh
More and more women prove that people can wear a full face when doing sports, and Mahuchikh is one of them. The Ukrainian women’s high jump world record holder emerged first at this year’s finals wearing a graphic blue and yellow-colored eyeliner, a tribute to her national flag. She matched her fierce eye look with a simple, matte berry lip and proved that it’s not only the extravagant looks that steal the show.
Jordan Chiles
After bagging gold at the women’s artistic team all-around, Jordan Chiles posed for a smile alongside her medal with a glistening set of diamond grills. Made by jewelry expert for the stars Jimmy Phan, commonly known as Jimmy Boi, the gymnast’s grills had four pavé diamond-coated fronts paired with two solid gold ones. This we know for sure: one way to celebrate winning gold is by wearing gold.
Chase Jackson
This 2-time world shot put champion made a statement on the track with a garden-inspired eye look. She adorned the inner corners of her eye with small flowers and the outer ones with butterfly wings, all in the colors of the American flag. She outlined her cheekbones with two hearts in the same colors. The softness of this look, which includes her anime-inspired tattoos, is a beautiful contrast to her fierceness on the track.
Molly Caudrey
Representing Great Britain and England, the 24-year-old track and field star was one of the gold medal contenders at this year’s Games. Although she fell short in the women’s pole vault qualification, her Olympic look won the hearts of the internet. She put her hair up in Y2K-inspired pigtails and left long strands in front, perfectly framing her face. A lot simpler than the looks above, but definitely just as stunning.
Trinity Rodman
This forward in the US Women’s National Soccer Team was a feast for the eyes at the Olympics. Apart from her winning moves on the field, she ran around with her pink braids interlocked into two long French plaints stealing the show. However, this isn’t the first time she made such a statement, as she also showed up with an almost platinum-blonde hair, and then red just months prior.
Coco Gauff
Just as a ribbon completes a present, the bow atop this tennis superstar’s head perfected her Olympic look. A simple yet striking detail, the white bow she added to her ponytail definitely tied her red, white, and blue ensemble together–once again, an ode to patriotism.
Suni Lee
We’re finishing this list strong with this gymnastics star and the first American woman to win two gold medals in the uneven bars. Her Olympic look this year won the hearts of many; she put her hair up in a sleek, braided bun, wore a shiny lip, and flaunted her volumized lashes. Besides her Olympic achievements, she may just add “the ultimate clean girl” to her accolades.
Photos and Feature Image: SUNI LEE, ILONA MAHER, SHA’CARRI RICHARDSON, YAROSLAVA MAHUCHIKH, JORDAN CHILES, CHASE JACKSON, MOLLY CAUDREY, TRINITY RODMAN, COCO GAUFF (via Instagram)
