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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Shivé Prema

Meet the TikTok stars of the Australian Olympic team

Australian Olympic athletes have become viral sensations on TikTok as they share their journeys to Tokyo games this year.

Diver Sam Fricker, water polo star Tilly Kearns and tennis player Daria Gavrilova are just some of the athletes who have exploded in popularity on the app.

Sam Fricker, Diving - 618k followers (@samfrickerrr)

Newcastle diver Sam Fricker, 19, has been documenting his Olympic journey from getting selected, training and more recently, his flight to Tokyo.

The teenager completed his last training session in an empty Sydney Olympic Park amid the current lockdown before flying to Tokyo on Thursday.

Fricker arrived at the Olympic Village at 1am on Friday and said he is "so excited" to compete in a recent TikTok.

He will compete in the preliminary rounds of the men's 10 metre platform on August 6. If successful, he will go through to the semi-finals and final the next day.

Sam Fricker at the Tokyo Olympics

Tilly Kearns, Water Polo - 216k followers (@tillykearns)

Australian water polo player Tilly Kearns has consistently been giving her 216,000 TikTok followers a behind the scenes look at the Olympic Village in Tokyo, including its many COVID-safe precautions.

The 20-year-old filmed a video documenting a typical lunchtime meal at the Olympic village, which she posted to TikTok on Wednesday.

In another clip, she explained that the athletes' cardboard beds are not to "stop people having sex" but rather to make a "more environmentally friendly Olympics".

Kearns and the Aussie Stingers are set to face off against Canada in their first-round game on Saturday.

Tilly Kearns poses with her ticket to Tokyo

Daria Gavrilova, Tennis - 130k followers (@daria_gavtennis)

Professional tennis player Daria Gavrilova represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Games but will not be competing in Tokyo due an injury.

However, the 27-year-old is still giving her followers an inside glimpse at the Olympic Village thanks to her tennis player husband Luke Saville, who is competing in the men's doubles.

Saville has filmed videos of Australians playing cricket, the dining hall and even an Australian-style café within the village, which are all posted to Gavrilova's substantial TikTok account.

Daria Gavrilova
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