How Gen Z athletes pulled the Paris Olympics into the TikTok era

• As Americans become less cable-dependent, social media also offered a free way to consume Olympic content.
• It can help level the playing field (or court, or pool, perhaps) by increasing visibility for athletes who may not typically be in the spotlight.

Case in point: Ilona Maher — a member of the U.S. women's rugby sevens team, which won a historic bronze medal this summer — was one of the biggest social media stars of the 2024 Games, picking up deals with L'Oréal cosmetics, Secret and other major brands.

• Maher built her profile during the Tokyo Games with comedic and inspirational content — and has amassed a following of more than 2 million on TikTok.
• Her teammates also stepped into the virtual spotlight, with Sammy Sullivan's online love letters to Legos (her Instagram bio reads "Lego Mega Fan") amassing millions of views and thousands of comments.

Zoom in: Stephen Nedoroscik, affectionately known to the internet as "pommel horse guy," flipped into fame as the internet embraced the glasses-wearing American gymnast as the sport's Superman (or Clark Kent).

• Fans quickly did a social media deep-dive on the bronze medalist, becoming enamored with his mastery of Rubik's Cube solutions and his swoon-worthy posts about his girlfriend of eight years.

It's not just Team USA found themselves trending. Henrik Christiansen, a Norwegian swimmer, went viral for a series of somewhat-bizarre odes to chocolate muffins served in the Village, self-identifying in one of dozens of posts from the Games as the "muffin man" on TikTok.

• As his pastry plugs went viral, gymnast Sunisa Lee faced a question about them on ABC News, revealing her gold-medal-winning teammates start "every morning" in Paris with a chocolate muffin.
• Athletes from across the world have also taken to social media to unbox and model their official uniforms and merchandise.

Inside the room: While some posts show "epic" spaces inside the Village (like Australian canoeist Jessica Fox's TikTok tour), other athletes used their platforms to poke fun at the cardboard beds and stiff, sponge-like mattresses inside curtain-less (and seemingly cramped) quarters.

• Others weren't as happy as the Olympic muffin man when it came to the Village's menu, instead bemoaning the food online.

• Before the Games began, The New York Times reported that six on-site restaurants would serve cuisines including French, Asian, halal and "world" around-the-clock, but some athletes have reported inadequate servings. Complaints prompted organizers to adjust their provisions, Reuters reported.

Reality check: TV viewership is also experiencing a resurgence this year.

• The Games' opening ceremony drew in the highest viewership since the 2012 Games, as the international gathering bounced back from sagging ratings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fine print: Per the International Olympic Committee's social media guidelines, athletes could share on personal accounts up to two minutes of audio or video per post from the Olympic Village and other specified locations.

• The rules, which were released earlier this year, were intended to "enable athletes to tell their fans about their unique experiences of competing at the Olympic Games."

What to watch: As a new generation of athletes blur the lines with social media influencers, the way global audiences watch the Games — and rally around certain athletes — is changing.

• Even the way the Games are covered through traditional channels has evolved — with rappers and comedians joining sports casters to create their own viral moments.

Go deeper: In photos: U.S. wins most Olympic medals in Paris Games' first weekend