Not all viral moments at the Olympics result in gold medals.
With thousands in Paris and millions watching worldwide, nothing goes unnoticed.
Whether intentional or accidental, athletes and spectators alike can go viral at any moment in today’s digital age.
From an unexpected swimmer at La Défense Arena to a laid-back Turkish shooter, these Games have provided plenty of unique moments.
Here’s a look at some of the best.
Turkish Shooter’s Casual Pose
You know you’re cool when everyone copies you.
Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec, who won a silver medal in the mixed team 10m air pistol event, has become arguably the most popular character in Paris.
The Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed.
🇰🇷 Kim Yeji 🤝 Yusuf Dikeç 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/gfkyGjFg4I
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 1, 2024
The 51-year-old chose not to wear the high-tech gear of his shooting competitors and struck a nonchalant pose with his non-shooting hand casually tucked into his pocket.
This image quickly spread across social media, inspiring Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis and Turkish midfielder Irfan Can Kahveci to mimic the pose in their celebrations.
Random Swimming Trunks Man
Spectators at La Défense Arena witnessed some of the fittest athletes on the planet racing.
On the big nights, the arena, packed with up to 17,000 fans, showcased swimmers who had trained for years to deliver on the biggest stage.
However, when a swimming cap got stuck at the bottom of the pool, it was an unexpected hero who saved the day. A middle-aged man, sporting funky colored trunks, dived in to retrieve the cap and raised his arm to receive a cheer from the crowd.
The ‘Muffin Man’
Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen went viral for his enthusiastic review of a chocolate chip muffin from the Olympic Village.
Christiansen, who posted food reviews from the village on his social media, rated the muffin an 11/10, calling the taste “insane.”
His online review caught the attention of other athletes, who began posting their own reviews of the muffin.
Despite not reaching the finals in the 800m or 1500m freestyle events and finishing 25th in the 10km open water swim, Christiansen left with a new nickname: the ‘Muffin Man.’
Biles and Chiles Bow to Andrade
History was made in the women’s floor final with the first all-black gymnastics podium ever in the Olympics.
Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade took gold, ahead of the United States pair Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles.
In a show of sportsmanship and respect, Biles and Chiles bowed to Andrade on the podium. Biles, who missed out on a fourth gold in Paris, said it was “just the right thing to do.”
She smiled broadly as she bowed to Andrade.
Unfortunately for Chiles, she was later stripped of her bronze medal following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which upgraded Romania’s Ana Barbosu from fourth to third place.
Chinese Gymnast Bites Medal
The question “why do athletes bite their medals?” might have crossed China’s Zhou Yaqin’s mind.
After securing silver in the women’s beam, a video showed her looking a bit confused when Italy’s Alice D’Amato and Manila Esposito bit their medals.
Zhou followed suit but merely put the medal to her lips rather than biting into it.
Traditionally, athletes bit their medals to check if they were real gold. Nowadays, photographers often ask athletes to pose this way.
USA Mascot Snoop Dogg
American rapper and record producer Snoop Dogg was a notable presence at nearly every event in Paris.
Providing commentary for NBC, Snoop made sure to stand out.
From wearing extra head protection at the dressage to his viral reactions to Biles’ vault, his presence was a mainstay in Paris.
Could Snoop Dogg be Team USA’s flag bearer at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028? Only time will tell.