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The life of a professional athlete is one of precision. Despite the capacity for careful calculation, they understand there will always be elements beyond their control. This may be why many athletes lean just as much on their pregame rituals as they do on their months of preparation. Because in the seconds before the big match, tournament, or race, who wouldn’t want any help they could get? Let's take a look at the top superstitions at Paris Olympics 2024 that will help athletes get competition-ready.
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Superstitions at Paris Olympics 2024
Nadal's on-court tennis rituals
Rafael Nadal is well-known for his many behaviours, both superstitious and routine. The on-court routine of Rafael Nadal has been among the most discussed topics in tennis. In almost every match, the Spaniard takes a sip of each of his two bottles and places them in a certain position. He meticulously arranges his water bottles so that the labels face the same direction. He also follows a strict sequence of actions, such as not touching the court lines and performing a specific routine with his shirt, hair, and face before serving a shot.
Naomi Osaka and her superstitions about bottles
Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka wants her water bottles to be completely aligned. She believes most athletes have very strong superstitions. Like Nadal, her ritual revolves around the precise arrangement of the bottles, making sure they are facing the same direction and placed in a specific order.
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Daniil Medvedev's eating habits
Daniil Medvedev also has the “crazy” rituals. He had one rigid routine that he followed before every match. Although Medvedev is pretty flexible when it comes to switching up his routines, he admitted there was one thing he always had to keep the same and couldn’t do even one second too late, which is his eating habits. Medvedev always eats exactly 2 hours and 30 minutes before his matches.
Gianmarco Tamberi's signature look
Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi known for his beard, which is half shaved, has been his signature style since 2011. Tamberi won the European Athletics Championships in Rome. After the competition, when he was presented with his gold medal during the awards ceremony, he stepped on the podium with his beard fully shaven. Tamberi has been ranked as the No. 1 high jumper in Europe for 135 weeks. He will carry the Italian flag at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
Carissa Moore's husband wears her lucky socks
American surfer Carissa Moore, a five-time world champion, has a unique superstition that relies not on herself but on her boyfriend. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion firmly believes that her boyfriend's socks bring her good fortune on the waves.
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Vashti Cunningham watches 'Kill Bill'
Vashti Cunningham, the American high jumper watches Kill Bill, the night before every competition. She also does Bible study along with her father before going out and getting ready for warm-up and jumping.
Besides Vashti, Brazilian volleyball player Darlan Souza performs a Naruto-inspired move before serving. While American Olympic golf champion Nelly Korda always carries three tees in her hair, which she replaces only when they break. And Paralympic triathlete Melissa Stockwell is wearing a lucky dinosaur given to her by her son.