Is there a tattoo artist in the Olympic Village?
Based on my experience donating blood, it’s clear that if you’re planning to engage in any bodily alterations—such as pushing your limits or having blood drawn—getting a tattoo during that time isn’t the best choice. Thus, it’s reasonable to think that all those athletes sporting Olympic rings tattooed on their impressive biceps, thighs, and triceps did so long before the games. Incorrect: at the temporary Olympic village in Tahiti, located a whopping 10,000 miles away, there is a tattoo shop aboard the ship. This means the surfers have no concern about disease transmission, and at least they aren’t surfing in the Seine.
How do the swimmers ever get out of their swimming costumes?
The snug fit of swimming costumes serves an important purpose unrelated to the French diver Jules Bouyer’s fame. (Just give it a Google!) The tightness compresses the muscles and helps maintain proper posture. But once they’re on, can they actually be taken off, or do they adhere to the skin permanently?
What’s the best outfit to shoot in?
Chinese air rifler Huang Yuting won gold in the mixed team air rifle event, rocking an outfit reminiscent of a Fortnite character—bold and modern with intimidating, clean lines, further emphasized by a primary color palette akin to Squid Game. Naturally, this was the look of a champion shooter.
But hold on, who’s this fellow who casually strolls in wearing a garden center outfit? That’s 51-year-old Yusuf Dikeç from Turkey, who battled his way to silver in a mixed air pistol event, all while forgetting his special glasses and ear protection, with one hand still in his pocket. In shooting, it’s all about feeling comfortable—dress to your liking!
Yusuf Dikeç competes in the 10m air pistol mixed team gold medal match. Photograph: Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images
For the love of God, can they not just score everything out of 10?
Sadly, that’s not an option. Gymnastics used to be judged on a 10-point scale, but now the scoring can range from 14 to 16. This is based on a difficulty score assigned by one panel, plus an execution score from another panel, minus any mistakes (conspiracies are reviewed separately by a conspiracy panel). Diving scores are similar yet different, judo is entirely dissimilar, and trying to understand any of this is futile. The best approach is to spot the athlete’s mum in the audience and watch her reaction.
Has anyone ever loved parmesan as much as Giorgia Villa?
I won’t lie; I once believed that I could excel in a hypothetical cheese-appreciation competition. However, after viewing promotional images of Giorgia Villa, a standout member of the Italian gymnastics team that took home their first gymnastics medal (silver) since 1928, my confidence waned. Parmesan has heavily invested in sports sponsorship, supporting athletes like tennis player Jannik Sinner, former NBA player Nico Mannion, Paralympic swimmer Giulia Ghiretti, and fencer Matteo Neri. However, none of them can quite match Giorgia’s remarkable ability to perform the splits beside a giant wheel of cheese, and none embrace it as passionately—no offense intended.
