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Olympic athletes have reached the big games by dedicating their lives to their craft. When they hit the world's stage, they give it their everything. And in addition to showing off the mastery of their sport, some go the extra mile with a show-stopping beauty look.
In a sea of closely regulated uniforms, tapping into hair, makeup, or nail statements can help athletes express their personality and sense of style. Think: Bright braids, chic chignons, and maximalist manicures.
Ahead, we've gathered our top nine standout beauty moments from the Olympics through the years.
Florence Griffith-Joyner
Florence Griffith-Joyner is known for two things—being the fastest woman in the world and one of the most stylish. She earned three gold and two silver medals as a track and field sprinter during her Olympic career. As pictured at the top of this story, Griffith-Joyner wore stunning makeup and long, flowing hair. But the real show-stoppers were her nails. At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, she sported a red, white, blue, and gold (naturally!) manicure accented with gems and lots of shimmer.
Venus Williams
Venus Williams went patriotic with her beauty look while playing the women's singles tennis match at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The tennis star sported shimmery cobalt blue eyeshadow with red, white, and blue yarn woven through her caramel-hued twists. Williams holds four gold medals and one silver, making her the most decorated tennis player in Olympic history.
Sha'Carri Richardson
Sha’Carri Richardson turned heads when she qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics, becoming the world’s sixth-fastest woman. A true star commanding attention, she wore bright copper hair and had long and voluminous false lashes. Although Richardson’s Olympic dreams were postponed after the sprinter tested positive for cannabis use shortly after the 2020 trials, she is set to make her Olympic debut during the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Vera Caslavska
When Vera Caslavska, a gymnast from Czechoslovakia, competed in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic games, her wins extended far beyond the world of sports. She defeated Soviet gymnasts mere months after the Soviet Union invaded her homeland. Caslavska won four gold medals during the 1968 games—all while sporting a gravity-defying chignon.
Tonya Harding
Figure skaters face limitations with hair looks for safety; it's best when hair is pulled back away from the face, as loose strands or any ornamentation can obscure vision. Often, skaters sport formal looks like slicked-back buns. So, for Tonya Harding at the 1994 Winter Olympics, a bright red scrunchie at the base of a French braid exuded a sense of confidence in its casual nature. The games wrapped before word reached the public that Harding was under investigation for a pre-Olympic attack on Nancy Kerrigan, her figure skating rival. Later that year, Harding pled guilty to conspiracy to hinder the prosecution. Translation: She knew who committed the crime but didn’t notify authorities.
Wilma Rudolph
At the 1960 Rome Olympic Games, Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in one Olympics. At the time, she was the fastest woman in the world—an especially meaningful feat, as she achieved it after overcoming polio as a child. Rudolph stunned with her cropped pixie cut, and in this photo, wore it with a chic headscarf.
Naomi Osaka
When Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, she did so with bright red braids. Osaka is a decorated tennis star, having won the 2018 US Open, 2019 Australian Open, 2020 US Open, and 2021 Australian Open. This year's games in Paris will be her second time competing in the Olympics.
Nickiesha Wilson
When Jamaican hurdler Nickiesha Wilson competed in the London 2012 Olympic Games, she did so with the Olympic symbol shaved into the side of her head. The look is bold and embodies the Olympian energy within her.
Simone Biles
Out of all the Olympic athletes, gymnasts tend to have the most fun with their makeup. Just look at Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history. At her first-ever Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, she let her eyes do the talking with jet-black wings and silver glitter. She is slated to return for her third Olympic games in Paris.