Hair and beauty reigned supreme at the Paris Olympics 2024, these are the moments that caught our eye.
By Kiekie Stanners
I love the Olympics. The wholesomeness of athletes achieving goals, winning gold and just generally expressing so much emotion and passion is such a good time. Every four years when they are on, I am genuinely so distracted and transported back to being a kid and copying everything you see on the screen. I’m not sure anything else compares in modern life still. Someone who has dedicated years to a sport that has this one moment to shine, where the world is watching them try and make their dreams come true, and the elation or tears that follow, is just so good…
I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that it’s not just the athleticism that’s so mesmerising. Vintage Olympic imagery, the uniforms and beauty looks that accompany athletes just have such an aesthetic. It’s passionate. It’s old-school branding. Its physiques have been honed from years of dedicated training. I will always remember growing up with the Olympic gymnasts of the past and their perfect ponytails, or the Winter Olympics figure skaters and their immaculate programme makeup.
In the 80’s it was Flo-Jo who originally took track and field beauty to a whole new level (as well as being the fastest woman on earth). It was pretty mind-blowing to see this American force, who also competed with full glam, up to 4-inch nails and gold jewellery on the track. She was the modern originator of owning your own beauty statement as a high-level athlete (complete with the iconic one-legged track leotard). She is quoted as saying ‘Dress good to look good. Look good to feel good. And feel good to run fast’. I mean it worked, she is literally still the record holder for the women’s 100M.
Today’s track superstars, the likes of Sha’Carri Richardson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson also bring the glam to the sports track. Never without an iconic hairstyle or themed manicure, these ladies are a highlight for any beauty lover when they step into a world arena. Richardson has been interviewed saying that brainstorming her hair, nails and makeup looks for meets is one of her favourite ways to decompress. It has definitely become her visual calling card - it’s exciting to wait and see what hair colour and style she will wear next (if you haven’t watched ’Sprint’ on Netflix, then do!).
This year’s Paris Olympics has been no exception to exciting glam - female, male, nails, weaves, braids and lashes. In fact, it seems to have been the most self-expressionist across the board we’ve seen. Anything to help take home the gold. Scroll on for 2024’s most exciting Olympics beauty:
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
At her last Olympics before retirement (after competing in 4 previously) the athletics legend only competed in her 100M heat before withdrawing from her 5th and final Olympic Games due to injury.
She has never been on the track without her trademark wigs and lashes - this year a fluorescent Jamaican green and chartreuse ponytail.
Coco Gauff
Coco’s patriotic braids on the court. Red, white and blue woven in, with the most perfect lil white bow on top. Even her New Balance silky headband is perfectly intertwined with her Olympics ‘do. It didn’t help her win the argument against the ref tho.
Lina Muze-Sirma
The Latvian javelin thrower with a perfect blonde bleach, fishtail braids and uniform-matching hair pieces. Truthfully would love to know whether these athletes do their own braids or their roommate in the Olympic Village steps in prior to comp. day!
Chase Jackson
The American shot-putter who’s never let her fans down with her competition day eye makeup. Sometimes full-face butterflies, sometimes dragons but on this event day it’s delicate florals, butterfly wings and love hearts in the US of A colours.
Noah Lyles
Inspiring kids everywhere to run a 100m sprint in under 10 seconds, with meticulous tiny pearl braids and a lighting bolt manicure.
Sunisa Lee
The American gymnasts gave us BEAUTY with their routines this year. Not only were their diamanté leotards a spectacle, but their beauty was flawless too. Suni gave us lashes on lashes, with a red lip/Rhode lip balm touch-up before her vault final.
Simone Biles
I still wonder how gymnasts can perform at such a high level with a fresh set of long nails, but it seems like they can do the impossible. Simone with a totally flawless beat - brows, liner, contour and the Nyx Lip Liner of our dreams. I desperately want to know what foundation Simone wears because it stays FLAWLESS.
Special mention to her super-healthy-looking hair thanks to her K18 partnership!
Rebeca Andrade
Just one more gymnast! Every day she brought us a new graphic eye makeup look, complete with glitter, jewels and lashes. Her natural hair is black and curly (I looked it up because obsessed) but was dressed up in back-length box braids for the season.
Louie Hinchcliffe
Not only did Louie get a reaction from beating Noah Lyles in the 100m heats, but he also had the best haircut in the athletics stadium. Bringing back the stylish long mullet, it almost flew on the track as he took on the semi-finals.
Yaraslava Mahuchikh
The Ukrainian high jumper sported a patriotic eye-liner look. Gold medal for matching your eyeliner to your uniform.
Sha'Carri Richardson
I was so excited to see what beauty looks Sha’Carri would be serving this Olympics. It almost goes without saying the 100m superstars always deliver with faces, weaves and nails.
Sha’Carri sported a variety of bejewelled manicures, including on the 4X100M relay finals day. That’s when you know you are good - nailing a final relay baton handover, to come back from behind and not fumble at all, you’re so skilled with your manicures!
Anthony Jose Zambrano
Smooth as smooth lines on the Colombian 400m sprinter.
Trinity Rodman
So many braids this Olympics! Pretty in pink to match the accents on her football boots, taking USA Women’s Football to the gold medal podium.
The Chinese Artistic Swimming Team
The watermelon eye makeup, the intricate braiding and sequin-bejewelled hair pieces. The secret to an artistic swimming slick back bun? Supermarket gelatine to create a helmet slick-back that doesn’t budge in the water.
Chari Hawkins
The American Heptathlon athlete showed off her Paris Olympic-themed manicure that she got whilst staying in the athlete's village, but what will truly tug at your heartstrings is her wiping her tears after scoring a zero in her second event, a basic height high-jump, and basically eliminating her from any contention in the later events. She captioned the video ‘I have never watched my own heartbreak before’.
Janieve Russell
The Jamaican 400m hurdle athlete had a cute message for her followers.
