11 Hot Olympians Who Stole Our Hearts

Aside from the thrilling sports, we have to admit that another key highlight of Paris 2024 Olympics is ogling some of the hottest athletes to ever bless the Games. One thing's for sure: this year’s roster features a blend of jaw-dropping bods and striking good looks.

From Loh Kean Yew to Ran Takahashi, we’ve rounded up the most drool-worthy Olympians that stole the spotlight (and our hearts).

Whew, it's getting hot in here!

Undeniably hot athletes at Paris 2024 Olympics

1. Loh Kean Yew

Of course, we are starting the list with Loh Kean Yew, the charming Singaporean badminton player we all already adore.

The 27-year-old may have lost to reigning gold medalist Viktor Axelsen in the quarter-finals, but he put up a good fight amidst a hand injury that affected his grip. Also worth celebrating is the fact that he's the first Singaporean shuttler to reach the quarter-finals in 20 years.

Looking forward to see more of him (and his winsome smile) at upcoming tournaments!

2. Ran Takahashi

A Japanese volleyballer with some British and German blood, Ran Takahashi is a perfect example of how mixed men are such irresistible packages.

Incredibly talented, he joined Japan’s national team at the age of 18 and played for the Tokyo Olympics, all while still in college (talk about multitasking). Besides his impressive skills on the court, his striking charisma and way with words make him way too easy to fall for. 

Much to the disappointment of domestic and international fans, the Japanese team did not secure an Olympic medal this year. While it is a pity, you can still catch him serving up some cool shots in the Italian volleyball league.

3. Hwang Sun-Woo

Here is another swimmer to add to our list of Olympic hotties. The Korean men’s swim team went viral for their interview after the 4x200m freestyle relay event. Out of the four swimmers, the one who has captured the most attention is Hwang Sun-Woo. Born in 2003, this 21-year-old swimmer is also the 2024 men’s 200m freestyle champion.

He made his first Olympic debut in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics - back then, he got the attention of Blackpink's Jennie as she expressed her support through her Instagram Stories. Fangirls on TikTok have been comparing him to the character Ryu Sun-Jae from Lovely Runner who Byeon Woo-Seok stars. Some even said that he is the real-life Jung Joon-Hyung from Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo who Nam Joo-Hyuk stars.

4. Thomas Ceccon

Born in 2001, this Italian gold medalist has been capturing hearts on the internet. Sure, he has some chiselled good looks but what fans can’t stop talking about are his abs. 

During the medal ceremony at the men’s 4x100-metre freestyle relay event, he raised his arms in the air together with his teammates, celebrating his win. While it was an ordinary medal ceremony scene, his abs that peeked through his clothes sure weren’t ordinary. This fleeting moment sent the internet into a frenzy with a bunch of fangirls thirsting over him. 

Want to see more of him? Check out the replay of the men’s 200m backstroke, men’s 100m backstroke and men’s 4x100m freestyle relay. Check out his 100m backstroke event here!

5. Daiki Hashimoto

Coming up next is Daiki Hashimoto from Japan’s gymnastics team. With an impressive array of medals under his belt, he won two gold medals at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in all-around and horizontal bar, as well as a silver in team. While he conceded his individual all-around title this Olympics, he still managed to snag a gold medal in the team event. 

So how did he go viral? After his unfortunate fall during his dismount from the high bar, he was visibly in pain as his body cramped up. Someone looking like a physiotherapist quickly went to relieve his pain by massaging him and this scene went viral. Many fangirls humorously asked how they can apply for that massage job... and it didn’t matter how much it paid.

6. Yuto Horigome 

Japanese skateboarder Yuto Horigome has proven himself once again, winning yet another gold medal in his second Olympic Games. His boyish looks and sun-kissed skin have landed him a ton of fangirls and edits on TikTok, from compilations of him landing difficult tricks to edits of him casually lifting his shirt to reveal his perfectly toned abs. The combination of his laidback demeanour and seemingly effortless athletic prowess is what makes him stand out. 

To witness more of his charm, check out the replay of the Men’s street event for some world-class skating.

7. Tom Daley

British diving star Tom Daley is back and he turned heads in the 10m synchronised diving event at the Paris Olympics. Known not just for his incredible talent but also for his chiselled physique and charming smile, Daley first competed at the Olympics at age 14 in 2008, becoming the second youngest male Olympian ever. Not bad for a teenage boy, if you ask us.

After announcing his retirement in 2021 and focusing on knitting (yes, knitting), he surprised fans by announcing that he would be diving back in for his fifth Olympics this year. This year, Daley clinched a silver medal in the men’s synchronised 10m platform event, proving that some things indeed get better with time (like fine wine, or in this case, a hot diver in swim trunks).

8. Caeleb Dressel

Hold your breath. American swimmer Caeleb Dressel is back at the Olympics and he’s hotter than ever. In the previous Olympics, Dressel won five golds at the 2020 Tokyo Games and two golds at the 2016 Rio Games. This season, our 1.9m American hunk didn't just win gold medals; he won hearts. 

That being said, it is unlikely that any swimmer will ever surpass Michael Phelps’ record of 23 Olympic gold medals. However, in the 2019 World Aquatics Championships, he broke Phelps’s decade-old world record in the 100-metre butterfly, winning the race in 49.50 seconds. 

This season, he managed to secure 2 gold medals and 1 silver medal in his team events. While the individual ones proved to be a little disappointing, he was able to bounce back in the team events.

9. Armand “Mondo” Duplantis

Swedish men have never failed to get our hearts racing and Mondo Duplantis is no exception. Born to an American pole vaulter (father) and Swedish long jumper (mother), he has established new world records in pole vaulting on eight separate occasions (sometimes triumphing over his own records - proof that you are your greatest competition). 

With his soft brown hair and adorable smile, an eye candy like him can’t be missed in the Olympics. Speaking of candy, did you know that Mondo loads up on sweets just before his jumps? He doesn’t eat his veggies either but that hasn’t seemed to stop him from breaking records.

10. Kim Won-Ho

Let’s be real – most of us already have a soft spot for Korean men. This Olympics, we’re adding one more Korean to our list. The charming son of Gil Young-ah; an Olympics winner of gold, silver and bronze medals in the 90s. While Kim Won-Ho hasn’t yet secured any Olympic medals himself, following in his mother’s footsteps, he managed to secure a silver medal in the mixed team event.

11. Yudai Baba

Our Japanese heartthrob Yudai Baba is back this year. The basketballer may not have won an Olympic medal but he definitely got our hearts racing!

Previously, he had signed temporarily with the Texas Legends, an NBA G League, making him the first Japanese player to leap straight from Japan’s B.League to playing professionally in the U.S. How impressive! We’re sure that if he wasn’t so busy making basketball history, he would’ve easily earned a modelling contract.

A version of this article was first published on Her World.