Half-shaven beards, lucky socks, and water bottle arrangements: Athlete superstitions at Paris 2024
Whether you knock on wood or throw salt over our shoulders, most people have a superstition or two.
But no matter what you believe in, superstitions can give meaning to the often random nature of life and give people the feeling of control.
In the world of high-stakes competition, this feeling is vital. Read on to discover what some Olympians will do to try to control their destinies at Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Order on the court: Tennis superstitions to look our for at Paris 2024
Rafael Nadal: the king of rituals
Tennis seems to attract some of the most interesting superstitions, making it a sport where every detail and quirk can become part of a player's unique game-day routine.
Among these players is 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard takes an ice-cold shower exactly 45 minutes before every match, a ritual he describes as entering a new, powerful mental space. On the court, he meticulously arranges his water bottles so the labels face the same direction. He also follows a strict sequence of actions, like not stepping on court lines and performing a specific routine with his shirt, hair, and face before serving.
In the 2022 Australian Open quarter-finals against Denis Shapovalov alone, Nadal completed his shirt-tug, hair-tuck, and face-wipe routine 146 times.
In his memoir Rafa, the double Olympic champion opened up about some of his habits*.* He said, *"*I must put the two bottles down at my feet, in front of my chair to my left, one neatly behind the other, diagonally aimed at the court."
Nadal explained: “Tennis is such a mentally aggressive sport that anything external I am able to distract, I always do it."
Naomi Osaka keeps her superstitions bottled up
Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka is also particular about her water bottles on the court. Like Nadal, her ritual revolves around the precise arrangement of the bottles, making sure that they face the same direction and are placed in a specific order.
"I would say that most athletes have very strong superstitions," Osaka shared. "It could be one thing, it could be two things. For me, it's definitely the lines and the logo. Also, I need my water bottles to be completely straight. I'm not sure why that is," the tennis star explained.
For Daniil Medvedev, timing is everything
Daniil Medvedev insists on eating exactly two hours and thirty minutes before his matches, believing that this precise timing is crucial for his performance.
“I eat exactly two hours and 30 minutes before my matches. Always. It can’t be a second earlier or later. A tick. I don’t change these things. Other things, like training before a match, I sometimes adjust.”
Gianmarco Tamberi: The half-bearded showman
Gianmarco Tamberi is one of the greatest showmen in track and field, known for sporting a full beard during qualification and shaving half of it for the final.
The Italian high jumper, who famously shared the Olympic gold with Qatar's Mutaz Barshim at Tokyo 2020, is now headed to Paris as both the reigning Olympic, world and European champion.
And yes, he’ll be the man sporting his signature half-beard.
The 32-year-old has had his ritual since 2011 and shows no intention of shaving it all off yet. "It has become my trademark," Tamberi explained. "And why? I like to be on stage and to entertain the audience."
Fans anticipate Tamberi's upcoming performance and facial hair in Paris, where his charismatic presence will undoubtedly add a touch of drama and excitement to the Olympic high jump competition.
Surfer Carissa Moore can't surf in her lucky socks, so her husband wears them
Five-time world champion American surfer Carissa Moore has a unique superstition that she swears by — not on herself, but her boyfriend. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion firmly believes that her [now] husband's socks bring her good fortune on the waves. “My boyfriend has to wear lucky socks when I compete. It’s so funny. All the heats that I’ve lost this year so far, he hasn’t been wearing the socks—so it’s pretty much his fault when I lose!” Moore shared in an interview with Women’s Health in 2014.
Superstitious? You're not alone
American high jumper Vashti Cunningham watches "Kill Bill" the night before every competition and engages in a pre-event Bible study session with her father. Brazil's volleyball player Darlan Souza performs a Naruto-inspired move before serving. Olympic champion US golfer Nelly Korda always keeps three tees in her hair, replacing them only when they break. French BMX freestyle cyclist Anthony Jeanjean sports taurus necklace for competitions – a nod to his astrological sign and the mascot of his home city, Beziers. And Paralympic triathlete Melissa Stockwell carries a lucky dinosaur given by her son for good fortune.
So, if you avoid Friday the 13th and walking under ladders, know that you're not alone. Rituals highlight mental discipline and personal quirks that can drive people to greatness.
And, as you gear up to watch your favourite Olympians at Paris 2024, look closely. You might just see some lucky charms here and there.