What happens before or after the games? From the infamous cardboard beds to the simp energy for your favorite athletes, skip the TV because TikTok has all the answers.
Training, technique, and tradition aside, there is no denying that part of the gravitational pull of the Olympics rests heavily on the spectacle of it all. Drawn in by equal parts of passion and precision, what really latches us to the broadcast is the entertainment factor that runs the gamut of drama, humor, and obviously, action, among other things. But apart from the geographical loyalties, sport politics, and fostered biases with Olympians-turned-stars, the adrenaline of the summer games are fairly short-lived.
Ending as soon as it begins, there is little to nothing beyond the parameters of the sport, save for the heart-tugging video packages for the early favorites or winners. However, despite the overarching mystery that shrouds the Olympics, the contingent of athletes in Tokyo are currently breaking down the barriers by taking us behind-the-scenes through everyone’s favorite guilty pleasure, TikTok.
Exhilarating, euphoric, and emotional as the Tokyo Olympics 2020 are, what with all the records broken, legends immortalized, and history made (hello, Hidilyn Diaz and Nesthy Petecio), a lot of attention has been steered from the television and into our phones through TikTok. There is no need to plough through the popularity of the phenomenon that is the disruptive video-sharing app, but as it has done for many celebrities, influencers, and users in general, fame has been democratized and even humanized. Yes, athletes are just like us.
Related: THE BIG LIFT: WHAT THE HISTORIC TOKYO OLYMPICS 2020 WIN MEANS FOR HIDILYN DIAZ
The Olympics Are Fun, Really
Unprecedented on so many fronts, especially pushing through amid the punishing conditions of the pandemic, much of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 has been pared down. Despite there be a pervading sense of being somber and still, the spirit of the games is alive and well, especially with the athletes providing a dose of hope to fire us up in our own fights. Aside from the display of unequivocal focus and skill, there are a lot of points of exhale in between the games, lending amusement when and where it is necessary. A quick scroll through social media, TikTok specifically, opens up to an entire universe of stories on what goes beyond the Olympics.
A deep dive into the full scope of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 reveals that at least where the formalities of the international sporting event is concerned, protocols, limits, and rigors are followed, no matter how stubborn and archaic they are. However, on TikTok, it’s fair game for the players at the Olympics. Being their most unapologetically authentically selves, they get to let loose and laugh, and for some, even advocate on causes and amplify necessary stands and messages that they cannot otherwise do on the stands. So, whether it be the honesty of Simon Biles on mental health, the encompassing victory of Tom Daley, and the immensely magnetic charm of our very own, Margielyn Didal, these snippets of the Olympics on TikTok deserve a gold medal as well.
Watch on TikTok
Flooding the much contested For You Page on TikTok are a behind the scenes look at anything and everything Olympics—from the infamous cardboard beds, the thoughtful and thorough safety measures, to the dining hall offerings. Going down the rabbit hole of this binge, it is as if you are in the athlete’s village perhaps living out your dream to be an Olympian, albeit virtually. Here, things just make sense. After all, considering the Herculean responsibility and pressure mounted on the shoulders of these athletes, they all need a moment to breathe or well, dance.
Watch on TikTok
Want more of the Olympics on TikTok? Scroll down below for all that is going down in the athlete’s village and beyond.
Sanitizer challenge? Check
Watch on TikTok
Self-drive buses? Japanese superiority only.
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Vending machines are a tourist stop.
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There is good food, and lots of it. Oishi.
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A barbershop made the Olympic cut.
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The warriors need their gear.
The beds? They break, sort of.
Height requirement? Let’s talk, TikTok.
Ms. Biles, you have an admirer.
Watch on TikTok
The pains of an athlete.
BONUS: The spirit of community.
Watch on TikTok
