Olympians make it to the big games by dedicating their lives to their sport. When they step onto the world stage, they give it their all. And some go the extra mile not just to showcase their athletic proficiency, but to do so with eye-catching beauty.
Amid a sea of highly regulated uniforms, athletes can express their individuality and style through their hair, makeup and nails — think bright braids, chic chignons and bold nail polish.
Below are nine of the most beautiful moments from the Olympic Games.
Florence Griffith Joyner
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Florence Griffith-Joyner is known for two things: being the fastest woman in the world and one of the most stylish. She was an Olympian who won three gold medals and two silver medals as a track and field sprinter. As you can see in the photo at the top of this article, Griffith-Joyner had great makeup and long, flowing hair. But it was her nails that really caught the eye. At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, she showed off a red, white, blue, and gold (obviously!) manicure, accented with jewels and lots of glitter.
Venus Williams
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Venus Williams showed off a patriotic beauty look while playing in the women’s singles at the 2012 London Olympics. The tennis star wore shimmery cobalt blue eyeshadow with red, white, and blue threads woven into her caramel twists. Williams has won four gold medals and one silver medal, making her the most decorated tennis player in Olympic history.
Shakari Richardson
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Shakary Richardson made headlines when she qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics as the sixth-fastest woman in the world. A true star, she had light copper hair and long, voluminous false eyelashes. Richardson’s Olympic dreams were put on hold after she tested positive for marijuana use shortly after the 2020 trials, but she is on track to make her Olympic debut at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
Vera Caslavska
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When Czechoslovakian gymnast Vera Caslavska competed in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, her victory reached far beyond the sports world. She defeated Soviet gymnasts just months after the USSR invaded her home country. Caslavska won four gold medals at the 1968 Olympics, all while wearing a gravity-defying chignon.
Tonya Harding
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Figure skaters are restricted in their hairstyles for safety reasons. It’s best to keep hair pulled back and away from the face, as loose hair or jewelry can block the view. Skaters often wear formal outfits, like slicked-back buns. So at the 1994 Winter Olympics, Tonya Harding exuded casual confidence with a bright red scrunchie at the base of her braids. After the Olympics, Harding was under investigation for a pre-Olympic assault on figure skating rival Nancy Kerrigan. Later that year, Harding pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution. Translation: she knew who had committed the crime but didn’t notify authorities.
Wilma Rudolph
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At the 1960 Rome Olympics, Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games. At the time, she was the fastest woman in the world, a feat that was especially significant because she achieved it after overcoming polio as a child. Rudolph stunned everyone with her short pixie cut and, in this photo, a chic head scarf.
Naomi Osaka
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Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka wore bright red braids when she competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Osaka is a tennis star who has won the 2018 US Open, the 2019 Australian Open, the 2020 US Open, and the 2021 Australian Open. This year’s Paris tournament will be her second Olympic Games.
Nikkisha Wilson
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Jamaican hurdler Nikkiisha Wilson shaved the Olympic symbol into the side of her head when she competed in the 2012 London Olympics, a bold style that embodied the Olympian energy within her.
Simone Biles
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Of all Olympians, gymnasts tend to have the most fun with makeup. Look no further than Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history. In 2016, at her first Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, she rocked jet-black wings and silver glitter eyes. She’ll be competing in her third Olympics in Paris.
