The 2024 Paris Olympics are over, and we now have four years to wait until LA 2028. Naturally, we’re reflecting on the major moments from the Olympics, from the many engagements (Paris truly is the city of love), major beauty looks and big wins (women officially won the Olympics).
One thing we couldn’t help but notice this Olympics? It was possibly the hottest on record, with avid sports fans and casual observers (this writer) losing it on TikTok over some seriously alluring athletes. Whether it was the Clark Kent pommel horse assassin Stephen Nedoroscik, the TikTok viral French pole vaulter who was thwarted by his prodigious package, internet queen Ilona Maher or Twerking Only Fans pole vaulter Alysha Newman the 2024 Olympics were packed with social media savvy stars serving major rizz and watchers came down with a case of thirst so bad we were chugging Gatorade during the ad breaks.
Now that the competitions have sadly finished, we’re looking back at the Olympians who charmed us during these games (we can’t wait to see them again during LA 2028).
Stephen Nedoroscik
“Pommel Horse Guy”
Clark Kent lookalike Stephen Nedoroscik charmed the pants off Olympics watchers when he sat in the stands, meditating and chatting before taking to the floor for 40 seconds and winning the US men’s gymnastics team bronze, ending their 16-year Olympic medal drought. Nedoroscik rode the “rodent boy summer” wave of lust for nerdy guys, and the internet lit up with fans of the bespectacled engineering graduate.
Ilona Maher
TikTok Queen
Ilona Maher was the relatable queen of the Paris 2024 Olympics, reporting on the dating vibes on the ground (not amazing), sharing her lipstick recs and keeping us entertained. Maher’s the kind of girl we’d love to go to post-match cocktails with, and she’s single-handedly convinced us of the joys of Women’s Rugby (even if she broke Australian hearts by stealing a win).
Alysha Newman
The Olympic Twerker
Alysha Newman generated headlines when she celebrated her bronze medal win with a twerk. The Canadian pole vaulter, who moonlights as an OnlyFans star, was unbothered by pearl-clutching questions from reporters about her side hustle, even giving it a plug. When asked she told the German outlet BILD: “I earn money with what I post—you have to log in to find out. It makes me feel confident, and I feel good about it.”
Anthony Ammirati
Bulge-vaulter
Many wins and losses at the Olympics come down to inches, and French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati generated headlines when his groin got in the way of the bar. The Olympian looked like he would have passed the bar if not for his manhood dislodging it. In the wake of the incident, Ammirati received a $250,000 offer from an adult entertainment company called CamSoda, according to US Weekly. And, while he failed to win, his Instagram following has skyrocketed. Within days he’d clocked up a whopping 182,000 additional followers on social media. We hope Ammirati finds some comfort in his new fans.
Zharnel Hughes
Knockout cutie
British sprinter Zharnel Hughes was forced to withdraw from the Olympic heats thanks to a hamstring issue which was a great loss to watchers of the sport.
Armand “Mondo” Duplantis
Pole-Vault Romeo
There’s something about pole vaulters, and Swedish-American Armando “Mondo” Duplantis earned himself a gold medal and breaking a world record. After finishing, he immediately raced to embrace his girlfriend, influencer Desiré Inglander. The Olympic cutie then charmed fans by sharing his geeky love story with Vogue Scandinavia. He admitted he initially struck out with Inglander. “[Where I’m from] there’s a lot more talking – you talk for a long time. So at the party, I was just trying to talk to Desiré, like ‘Hey, what’s up, I’m Mondo…’ but she didn’t want anything to do with it or me. She just wanted to dance.” We love an awkward king (as long as they’re cute).
Taylor Fritz
Tennis legend
Taylor Fritz won bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics but he’s been famous in the tennis world since he appeared in Netflix’s Break Point which followed him along with other professional tennis players as they competed in Grand Slam tournaments. Fritz is dating influencer Morgan Riddle an avid tennis fan.
Tara Davis-Woodhall
Long Jump Star
US long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall won gold on the track, and gold in our hearts with her “main character energy” heavy parading post-competition. Even cuter? Seeing her celebrate with partner and fellow athlete, Paralympic track and field star Hunter Woodhall (according to Sports Illustrated, the pair’s relationship started with an Instagram DM slide, relatable!).
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This article originally appeared on Marie Claire Australia and is republished here with permission.
