For the approximately 10,500 athletes competing at the Paris Olympics, accessories — often of the ultrashiny variety, perfect for capturing the eye of dozens of photographers — are a way to celebrate their countries, their families or their achievements on the world’s biggest stage.
While some of the looks are impractical for competition — see Simone Biles’s diamond-encrusted goat pendant, which she showed off at a news conference after winning her sixth Olympic gold medal — most of the athletes with standout style have actually worn their accessories while competing. Yes, even the sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, with her seemingly mileslong black-and-neon acrylic nails.
The Olympic rings are a popular motif, but other athletes have turned to the more personal. The American sprinter Noah Lyles, for instance, rocked a sparkling chain-link necklace when he won his first gold medal, in the 100-meter final, and the Korean sharpshooter Kim Yeji wore her daughter’s plush elephant toy on her waist while competing.
No matter what or whom they choose to honor, athletes are using the world’s biggest stage as a spotlight for their beloved bling. Here are some of our favorite looks.
Simone Biles’s Diamond Goat Pendant
It’s not often that an Olympic gold medalist sports an accessory that outshines the medal. But Ms. Biles, who won her sixth Olympic gold medal, in the women’s gymnastics all-around competition, did just that when she donned a custom-made pendant with 546 sparkling diamonds in the shape of a goat — a reference to her status as the greatest of all time.
Jordan Chiles’s Gold-Accented Acrylic Nails …
Long nails on a soccer player? Sure. But on a gymnast, whose event entails a series of cartwheels, round-offs and displays of breathtaking skill on the uneven bars?
Ms. Chiles, the American gymnast who won her first Olympic gold medal in the women’s team final last week, is undaunted.
“It makes me think of the right technique,” she said on an episode of the Vogue podcast “The Run-Through.” “My nails are too precious and too good-looking to be breaking,” she added.
Ms. Chiles, who has been wearing acrylic nails since she was 15, opted for Winnie the Pooh-themed nails in past competitions. For the Olympics, she chose a long square-tip manicure with blue-and-white crocodile-print French tips and gold accents.
… and Gold Grill
Ms. Chiles’s nails weren’t the only eye-catching part of her look.
Elisa Longo Borghini’s Olympic Rings Necklace
The Italian cyclist Elisa Longo Borghini rocked a two-tone Olympic rings necklace during her road race.
Sha’Carri Richardson’s Long Acrylic Nails
It’s not just gymnasts who are sporting eye-catching acrylic nails. Ms. Richardson went full-on talon with ultralong neon nails last week, including during the 100-meter race in which she placed second — her first Olympic medal.
Noah Lyles’s Sparkling Chain-Link Necklace …
When Mr. Lyles turned in a photo finish while winning gold in the 100-meter sprint, his diamond-covered chain-link necklace also grabbed viewers’ attention.
… and Patriotic Nail Art
Mr. Lyles’s eye-catching nail art at the Games proves that the female athletes don’t have a monopoly on manicures.
He kicked things off at the opening ceremony by wearing nails with a white base and blue letters that spelled out the word “icon.” Then, for his competition, he went with a positively patriotic new set. It featured stars, a cross and a lightning bolt, incorporating the red, white and blue of the American flag.
Though Mr. Lyles faced some backlash on social media for his creative cuticles, he seemed unfazed. (Among his defenders: Dwyane Wade.)
“You know, people like me because I do this,” Mr. Lyles told Us Weekly. “I’m just being myself.”
Coco Gauff’s Red-and-Blue Nails
The American tennis player Coco Gauff also took a patriotic approach to her court style, wearing red and blue nails with star decals.
Kim Yeji’s Stuffed Elephant
The Korean sharpshooter Kim Yeji wore a stuffed elephant toy that belongs to her 5-year-old daughter on her waist while competing — and won a silver medal, which means it’s about to be the coolest show-and-tell item ever.
Read More: For These Olympians, the Bling Is the Thing
