The Paris Games may go down as the most stylish Olympics ever, with athletes playing to the TV, streaming and social media spotlights, and engaged spectators lapping it up.
Thanks to the pandemic, the last summer Olympics held in Tokyo in 2021 were without fans, and while social media was certainly around during the 2016 Rio Games, the impact was nothing compared to what’s been happening now, with more than 8.5 billion engagements, up 40 percent from Tokyo, according to Deadline.
The Paris Games have also been getting huge audiences daily on NBC and Peacock, up 80 percent from Tokyo, the entertainment site reported.
Athletes have been drawing people in by posting behind-the-scenes videos and photos giving exposure to their sponsors. (Who can forget Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa’s parmesan photos?) As a result, they’ve become stars overnight in a way we’ve never seen before.
American pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik, Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec and South Korean shooter Kim Yeji and Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon have also enjoyed their moments of viral obsession.
What has made each of them standouts is yes, their athletic achievements, but also their style and personality. Nedoroscik’s Clark Kent-esque glasses became so recognizable after his performance during the team event
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