Olympian Thomas Ceccon has had an interesting experience at the 2024 Paris Games.
The 23-year-old Italian swimmer has made headlines not only for earning a gold medal in the men’s 100m backstroke and the “thirst traps” created about him, but also for the viral snap of him sleeping at the Olympic Village.
The bronze medalist was captured by Saudi Arabian Olympic rower Husein Alirezan, who shared the picture on his Instagram stories with the caption “rest today, conquer tomorrow.” The photo received a lot of attention, which eventually brought it to Thomas’s notice. “Come on, everybody sent me that photo. I see it on social media, TikTok… It’s just a nap, everybody is crazy for that,” he told Access Hollywood.
@accesshollywood Everyone’s new fav Italian swimmer says he was just trying to get his nature on 🌿 #Paris2024
This comes shortly after the Olympian commented on the poor accommodations provided by the organization. According to The Sun, he expressed, “There is no air conditioning in the village, it’s hot, the food is bad… Many athletes move for this reason: it’s not an alibi or an excuse, it’s the reality of what perhaps not everybody knows.”
He also admitted that not being able to sleep affected his performance in the 200-meter backstroke final. “I’m disappointed that I didn’t make the final, but I was too tired. It’s hard to sleep both at night and in the afternoon. Here, I really struggle between the heat and the noise,” he said.
Apparently, the beds feel like cardboard, but they were implemented to help the environment. Though it is for a good cause, some athletes have complained about how uncomfortable they are. This issue was highlighted in 2021 when American track and field athlete, Paul Chelimo tweeted about it saying, “Beds will be able to withstand the weight of a single person to avoid situations beyond sports. At this point, I will have to start practicing how to sleep on the floor,” according to Forbes.
The comments about the Village’s conditions continued with the Chief of the British Olympic Association, Andy Anson, who shared how the nutrition was insufficient to meet the athletes’ daily needs. “There are not enough of certain foods: eggs, chicken, certain carbohydrates, and then there is the quality of the food, with raw meat being served to athletes,” he said, as per The Sun.