Very critical of his living conditions in the Olympic village, the Italian athlete was seen sleeping in a park on Saturday, August 3. At the same time, on TikTok, he became “the sexiest swimmer in the world.”
In the Olympic Village, there is Henrik Christiansen, the Norwegian swimmer nicknamed “Muffin Man” because of his overflowing passion for the chocolatey treats in the canteen. And then there is Thomas Ceccon, an Italian swimmer, not at all satisfied with his food – or even his lodgings. So much so that he was filmed by Husein Alireza, a Saudi rower, sleeping in a park in the Parisian structure on Saturday, August 3.
“Just a little nap”
In this video, Thomas Ceccon appears lying on a towel on the grass, next to a bench. “Rest today, conquest tomorrow,” joked Husein Alireza in the caption of the post. “It was just a little nap,” was the Italian Swimming Federation (FIN)’s content comment… But since his arrival in Paris, Thomas Ceccon has denounced the “mediocre” conditions in which he is according to him housed, even attributing his defeat in the 200-meter backstroke qualifications to them.
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“I’m disappointed not to have qualified for the final, but I was too tired,” he explained to Sun . It’s hard to sleep, both at night and in the afternoon.” Before continuing: “Usually, when I’m at home, I always sleep in the afternoon: here, I really struggle with the heat and the noise.” And the 23-year-old delivered the fatal blow. “There’s no air conditioning in the village, it’s hot, the food is bad,” he stressed. “Many athletes leave for this reason: it’s not an alibi or an excuse, it’s the reality, which perhaps not everyone knows.”
“Calvin Klein models”
This did not, however, prevent the Italian from winning the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke on Monday, July 29. Or the bronze medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. A moment during which Thomas Ceccon caused a sensation, when, as he raised his arms, his sweater revealed his expertly sculpted abs. Nicknamed “the shark” for his performances in the pools, he then inherited the title of “the sexiest swimmer in the world” in une compilation TikTok. And is the subject of multiple laudatory comments. “Thomas Ceccon is the best thing that has happened to the Olympic Games,” says one Internet user on X.
“I’m not the type to let myself be influenced by the beauty of men or women. And then Thomas Ceccon, the Italian swimmer and gold medalist, came along,” adds another. Some even compare the Italian team to “Calvin Klein models.” On Instagram, the competitor now has more than 612,000 subscribers. Very discreet about his private life – and, by extension, his romantic status -, Thomas Ceccon is content to share photos of his abs, his advertisements for an Italian sandwich, or images of his performances and other training sessions. A story to remind his community that he is also an accomplished athlete.
Childhood dream
Thomas Ceccon holds the world record for the 100-meter backstroke and the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. He also holds the Italian record for the 50-meter backstroke and the 50-meter butterfly. In 2020, he took part in his first Olympic Games in Tokyo. This native of Thiene, Italy, who now lives in Verona, won a silver medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay.
His dream of an Olympic gold medal dates back to his teenage years. “When I was 15, the coach asked me, ‘What is your dream?’ I said, ‘To win the Olympics,'” the athlete, whose mother was a figure skater and whose father was a track and field athlete and footballer, told Rai Italy . Then he said: “Calm down.” But that was always my dream.” It is clear that Thomas Ceccon did not “calm down.” Quite the opposite: the “shark” won the medal he had dreamed of so much. A resounding victory for someone who, for a time, hesitated to become a tennis player.
