Follow the latest news on the 2024 Paris Olympics
The Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony was a lavish affair, and the team uniforms have been well documented, but as the Games surge forward, a new type of style is emerging – namely the personal snap of the athletes. Although dressed in matching clothes that have been carefully designed for each team, a few souls still manage to stand out for, well, their swag, "main character energy", whatever you want to call it.
Marwa Abdelhady and Doaa Elghobashy, Egypt
France may have imposed a hijab ban during the Olympics but two players from the Egyptian beach volleyball team stood in defiance of it. Olympians Marwa Abdelhady and Doaa Elghobashy both wore hijabs, long-sleeve T-shirts and black leggings to face the Spanish team at the Games.
Snoop Dogg, US
Snoop Dogg's knack for making baggy tracksuits in garnish patterns look the epitome of style is well known. Yet seeing the rapper arrive as a spectator for the equestrian dressage, alongside Martha Stewart, while clad in an impeccable equestrian uniform is the salve that we didn't know we needed. Extra swag for him dancing for the horses.
Princess Anne, UK
An Olympian herself – Princess Anne competed in the equestrian three-day event at the 1976 Olympics – today the British royal is a member of the International Olympic Committee and is actively involved with the event. On a visit to the Team GB headquarters, she broke all royal dress codes by accessorising her straight blue trainers and smock top with trainers, and a bucket hat.
Yusuf Dikec, Turkey
The Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec is the latest Olympian to go viral for his casual demeanour. Taking part in the Mixed 50m Pistol event, Dikec, 51, stole the show by competing without the normal ear protectors and specialised lenses, that magnify one eye and block the other. Instead, he wore normal glasses and shot with one hand in a pocket. He won the silver medal.
Kim Yeji, South Korea
South Korean shooter Kim Yeji, who took silver at the women’s 10 metre air pistol event earlier this week, is a prime example. In a get-up of baseball cap and bizarre glasses that combined a magnifying lens on one eye and a sight blocker on the other, she displayed a level of coolness that was something to behold. Add to this the mini plush elephant hanging from her pocket, and her personal style levels were off the chart.
Thankfully, Yeji is not the only one.
Rayssa Leal, Brazil
Rayssa Leal from Brazil rocked up to the Women’s Skateboarding Street Final in a white vest and a pair of cargo trousers. Later, she took off the vest, to reveal a lime green crop top, and carried on competing. Looking as relaxed as if she was at a Brazilian skate park, and not in an Olympic final, she eventually won bronze.
Yuto Horigome, Japan
Another skateboarder who looked totally relaxed was Japan's Yuto Horigome. With his mop of coloured hair and a nonchalant attitude, Horigome may have only scored bronze but he won a host of fans.
Worthy de Jong, Netherlands
Like something out of a movie, the improbably named Worthy de Jong was an inconsistent basketball player in the Netherlands, until he bleached his hair blonde and found his form. He is now representing his country at the Olympics and looks like a model while doing it.
Sha’Carri Richardson, USA
Sha’Carri Richardson may have undergone a style evolution recently – ditching the most flamboyant aspects of her running looks – but she has kept one thing: her nails. Spotted with nails at least two inches long, and painted in a patriotic red, white and blue, she showed them off during the opening ceremony, along with her undone Ralph Lauren striped shirt.
Gabriel Medina, Brazil
Widely considered to be the shot of the Olympics, this image of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina floating upright above a wave gives off a level of cool the rest of us can only aspire to. With one arm in the air, feet flat as if standing on a solid surface and his board magically floating next to him, this will go down in history as the ultimate pose. The fact that he looks like he is mid-conversation with someone only adds to the mystique. An honourable mention goes to the photographer Jerome Brouillet for capturing it.
Melissa Teresa Vargas, Turkey
Turkish volleyball player Melissa Teresa Vargas is another competitor with a shaved head. With her hair cropped so short as to be little more than stubble, Vargas is pushing back against standards expected of women – even when they're high-performance athletes. Add to this her copious tattoos and necklaces that includes a pendant in the shape of the Olympic rings, and she is a bona fide style setter.
Jehanara Nabi, Pakistan
Pakistani swimmer Jehanara Nabi may have to ultimately settle for 26th place in the women's 200 metre swim, but she defied critics in her home country by wearing a three-quarter length race suit. Against widespread condemnation of her competing at all, Nabi broke down barriers with her knee-length suit. Hopefully, she will inspire girls to follow her lead.
Stephen Nedoroscik, USA
An unexpected figure has emerged in the form of Stephen Nedoroscik. A part of Team USA gymnastics squad – who picked up bronze for his performance on the pommel horse – he wears Buddy Holly glasses and takes a Rubix Cube along to help him stay focused during rounds and keeps his glasses on the side of the chalk bowl while competing. He even managed to look fashionably bored when picking up his team medal.
