The 2024 Summer Olympics might have come to a close, but we'll always have Paris — and the hilarious memes the Games left behind. From Bob the Cap Catcher to LeBron James as George Washington, here’s a look at some of the most viral moments to come out of the Paris Games.
Breakdancing breaks the internet
Rachael Gunn — aka Raygun — became an overnight sensation when footage of her Olympic breakdancing routine hit social media. Breaking was the only new sport to be added to this year's Summer Olympics.
When Raygun, the 36-year-old Australian who has a PhD in cultural studies, faced off against U.S. breaker Logistx, her performance took off online, giving rise to an onslaught of memes.
Yo I just watched the break dancing with the U.S. vs Australia and I am concerned because wtf was the girl from Australia doing 😂🤣 let me put this clip here so yall can see it too pic.twitter.com/sI9EyFiccC
— Gaming Addict (@javel_4_life) August 10, 2024
The lady from Australia break dancingpic.twitter.com/vB6HwCEf4r
— Joy Boy Nika (@ThinkTwiceGK) August 10, 2024
I just saw Australia ‘s Break dancing at the Olympics
Same Energy: pic.twitter.com/2BYZXuRDFP
— Jamie Moran (@JamieMoranUK) August 9, 2024
Tom Cruise being Tom Cruise
In one of the most anticipated moments of the Olympics closing ceremony, Tom Cruise leapt off of the roof of the Stade de France, grabbed the Olympic flag, hopped on the back of a motorcycle, then (in a prerecorded segment) dove out of a plane — completing the most Tom Cruise stunt ever. But even when he was just being a spectator in the crowd, Cruise made waves online.
This is the MOST Tom Cruise that Tom Cruise has ever Tom Cruised. pic.twitter.com/r5ho9xaVsd
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 12, 2024
when i’m watching the olympics and the camera randomly cuts to tom cruise in the crowd pic.twitter.com/6ysTqBUDY0
— rissa (@billskarsgards) August 10, 2024
me every time they show tom cruise at the olympics pic.twitter.com/Hj7dtMEGVC
— jen (@tomcruissant) July 29, 2024
Medal-biting confusion
Chinese gymnast Zhou Yaqin won the internet's heart when footage of her podium confusion went viral.
While posing for photos with her silver medal, Zhou, 18, noticed that her fellow balance beam medalists — Italian gymnasts Alice D’Amato, who won gold, and Manila Esposito, who took bronze — were taking their ceremonial medal chomp. Clearly unfamiliar with the tradition, Zhou brought the medal to her mouth — and thus, a wholesome meme was born.
The confused expression of Chinese gymnast #ZhouYaqin biting her medal became popular overseas, and Mexican artists drew cute comics for this. #Paris2024 #ParisOlympics2024 pic.twitter.com/tHV99HjJfp
— Beijing Daily (@DailyBeijing) August 9, 2024
#ZhouYaqin made #China proud at the #Paris2024 she secured the #Silver medal in the women's #BalanceBeam. Her reaction to seeing the Italian 🥇 and 🥉 medalists biting their medals has captured hearts worldwide. Even a #French fan @vincenthuon has drawn comics of the moment pic.twitter.com/QsKaKMgP4L
— Gautam Rishi 🇮🇳 (@GautamRishi1) August 8, 2024
LeBron James crossing the Delaware
During the opening ceremony, basketball legend LeBron James stood at the bow of the boat filled with U.S. athletes, an American flag proudly billowing in his hand as one of Team USA’s flag bearers.
The internet immediately drew a connection to Emanuel Leutze’s 1851 painting Washington Crosses the Delaware, and a meme was born.
General Lebron James crossing the Delaware pic.twitter.com/NBhGaehd2C
— Drea Blackwell (@KSBWDrea) July 26, 2024
Telling my kids this was George Washington pic.twitter.com/dxJIegKlrY
— Mink Flow (@currypistonn) July 26, 2024
See AlsoOlympic Announcer Dwyane Wade Draws Strong Reactions For Dropping He/Him Pronouns Line Multiple TimesParis Olympics Memorable Moments: Simone Biles was the star but the spotlight reached many faces#analysis | everyonesanauthor— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) July 26, 2024
Bob the Cap Catcher
When U.S. swimmer Emma Weber lost her swimming cap during the women’s 100-meter breaststroke preliminary race, the internet rallied around the lifeguard in a Speedo who got it back for her, dubbing him Bob the Cap Catcher.
Who do you call when a swim cap falls in the pool?
"BOB THE CAP CATCHER." 😂#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/eN5ycGkKjw
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 28, 2024
Thank you for your service, Bob🫡
— LA28 (@LA28) July 28, 2024
The Muffin Man
Norwegian swimmer and three-time Olympian Henrik Christiansen gained internet fame not for his swimming performance, but for his love of chocolate muffins served in the Olympic Village — earning him the title of Muffin Man, which he proudly accepted.
my current olympics obsession is henrik christiansen, this swimmer from norway who’s obsessed with the chocolate muffins in the olympic village and can’t stop making tiktoks about them pic.twitter.com/v7MkOOj3o1
— aaalex 🪩🎀✨ (@dunebarbie) July 30, 2024
Stephen Nedoroscik is Clark Kent
Pommel horse hero Stephen Nedoroscik immediately captured the hearts and imaginations of viewers at home, launching a slew of memes across social media during his time at the Games. His transformation on and off the gymnastics floor became the stuff of meme legends.
Obsessed with this guy on the US men's gymnastics team who's only job is pommel horse, so he just sits there until he's activated like a sleeper agent, whips off his glasses like Clark Kent and does a pommel horse routine that helps deliver the team its first medal in 16 years. pic.twitter.com/0D1ZqJjFa1
— Megan 📚 (@MegWritesBooks) July 29, 2024
Stephen Nedoroscik, the Clark Kent of pommel horse! 🫡🇺🇸 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/1HfYFSbJvH
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2024
Pommel Horse Guy Stephen Nedoroscik has become so impactful in the span of a week that we can see a photo of glasses and know exactly what’s about to go down. #OlympicGames https://t.co/n8brPlukWy
— Tracy Troutman, MBA (@TracyATroutman) August 3, 2024
His job is just “pummel horse” #Gymnastics #Olympics pic.twitter.com/km1ETNKGAX
— Jᴇɴɴ Wɪᴛʜ 2 N's (@2nnjenn_) July 29, 2024
Sharpshooters gain infinite aura points
Olympic shooting achieved a new level of popularity when footage of Yusuf Dikeç of Turkey and Kim Ye-ji of South Korea hit the internet. The two looked effortlessly cool as they competed, which gave rise to an onslaught of John Wick and Pulp Fiction comparisons, along with anime fan art imaginings.
The two competitors were also contrasted in memes, as the sleek, precise look of Ye-ji was put up against Dikeç’s cool, casual vibe.
Turkey sent a 51 yr old guy with no specialized lenses, eye cover or ear protection and got the silver medal pic.twitter.com/sFKcsRzvrw
— non aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) July 31, 2024
Pulp Fiction (1994) pic.twitter.com/ly1lPNptHa
— Mr. Drinks On Me (@Mr_DrinksOnMe) August 3, 2024
the most aura I have ever seen in an image pic.twitter.com/HHo8yCV5O4
— Women Posting W's (@womenpostingws) July 30, 2024
South Korean sharp shooter Kim Yeji and Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec have been the internet sensation at the Paris Olympics 2024 because of their coolness.
This is one of the best memes I have seen😂😂#Paris2024 #Olympics2024Paris pic.twitter.com/e5N5ZYsRmi
— Egline Samoei (@Egline_Samoei) August 6, 2024
— NO CONTEXT OLYMPICS (@OlympicsContext) August 2, 2024
dating in ur 20s / dating in ur 30s+40s pic.twitter.com/gwCeFm1HNY
— Daisy Dixon (@daisyldixon) August 1, 2024
🎬Anime: Olympics 2024.
- 2:00 - Sarabjot Singh (India)
- 4:00 - Yusuf Dikec (Turkey)
- 6:00 - Choe Dae-Han (South Korea)
- 9:00 - Huang Yuting (China)
- 10:30 - Oh Ye-Jin (South Korea)
- 12:00 - Kim Ye-Ji (South Korea)*EDIT: Following the hands of a clock. pic.twitter.com/9dEmG7xAnV
— 𝗠𝗩𝗣 (@theeverx) August 3, 2024
The Olympic Baguette
When French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati tried to clear a height of 5.7 meters, a certain appendage got in the way, knocking the bar to the ground, and earning the athlete the title of the Olympic Baguette.
Anthony Ammirati failed the bar and the commentators are clearly having a hard time acknowledging what happened 😂 HELP I'M DYING pic.twitter.com/5hOHttVA5g
— Gladys Wotching (@Glodyswotcher) August 3, 2024
the pole vaulting bar looking at anthony ammirati pic.twitter.com/KCO5hlc56L
— chase. (@cfree94) August 3, 2024
— NO CONTEXT OLYMPICS (@OlympicsContext) August 6, 2024
Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa became the envy of the internet when news of her Parmigiano-Reggiano sponsorship hit social media. Photos of Villa cradling a giant cheese wheel and doing a split on a stack of Parmesan had just the right makings of an overnight meme.
Olympic silver medalist and Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa is sponsored by parmesan cheese and takes many of her photos while posing with large wheels of cheese pic.twitter.com/klx8PEuFPN
— Women Posting W's (@womenpostingws) July 31, 2024
I need the people to know that olympic silver medalist giorgia villa is sponsored by parmesan cheese and regularly posts pics of herself with giant wheels of cheese pic.twitter.com/7gVyuGMoy5
— furiosarah (@slothanova) July 31, 2024
Snoop Dogg in Paris
Rapper, producer and actor Snoop Dogg can now add three new titles to his résumé: Olympic torchbearer, special correspondent and meme sweetheart. By just being himself at the Games, Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. stole the hearts of viewers around the world and inspired thousands of memes across social media.
Us after watching Simone Biles land her amazing vault routine yesterday, despite an injury 🤯✨
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 30, 2024
NO ONE is having a better Olympics than Snoop, I’m not even convinced he knows he has a camera on him, I think he just behaves like this pic.twitter.com/PZbPy6Rxnm
— Sorcha Ní Nia (@Luiseach) August 6, 2024
Watching the #OlympicGames has been a lot of fun.
Our athletes are doing well and making us proud 🇺🇸
One of the highlights I have really enjoyed is #Snoop ♥️
Thank you @JeffRoushPoetry for sharing this ‘GoldMedal’
of memes 🏆🥇💛 pic.twitter.com/mbn9sop496— Cathy 🇺🇸✌🏽💙 (@boco20) July 31, 2024
Highs and lows of surfing photography
Brazil’s Gabriel Medina might have made history with his 9.9 ride on the waves of Teahupo'o, but it was photographer Jerome Brouillet’s photo of the event that really made waves online. But the once-in-a-lifetime photo of Medina might have met its match in the shot of German surfer Tim Elter losing his swimming trunks while competing.
🔴🔵🟡 German Surfer Tim Elter lost his shorts while competing on Saturday in the Paris Olympics 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/mSWJpjwuqt
— SVS NEWS AGENCY (@svsnewsagency) July 29, 2024
The Garden of Earthly Delights, by Hieronymus Bosch, 1480-1505 https://t.co/5dx7Oke3vG pic.twitter.com/UeROburOOo
— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) July 27, 2024
Hype man Flavor Flav
Public Enemy co-founder Flavor Flav became a beloved Olympics icon when it was announced he was sponsoring Team USA women’s water polo team and providing financial support to Veronica Fraley, a track and field athlete from Raleigh, N.C. Footage of the rapper hyping up athletes and speaking at press conferences quickly went viral during the Games.
Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav has taken on the roles of both the official hype man and sponsor for the Women’s Water Polo team for Team USA, helping them participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics. 🇺🇸
pic.twitter.com/bDjCzDTySG— No Jumper (@nojumper) August 1, 2024
Flavor Flav was asked which rappers he would choose to play on his water polo team at the Olympics.
"I will pick my boy Snoop Dogg to be the captain."
pic.twitter.com/NqAoI1TcVX— No Jumper (@nojumper) August 1, 2024
“Unfortunately, I was not chosen for the Olympics…”
A new TikTok trend emerged during the Games in which athletes shared footage of themselves failing in their respective sports, accompanied by some variant of the tongue-in-cheek caption, “Unfortunately, I was not chosen for the 2024 Olympics.”
After her stumble off the balance beam, Suni Lee herself got in on the meme, finding the humor in the unfortunate fall.
Other memes of note
While not every meme went viral or created a social media trend, there was no shortage of internet humor mined at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Here’s a look at some other notable memes from the Games.
me trying to get a sports bra off #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/IHQLmXKwir
— Rach (@RachaelvsWorld) July 26, 2024
— No Context French 🇫🇷 (@nocontextfre) August 2, 2024
me if annoying my cat was an olympic sport pic.twitter.com/Gb2jkRPBYU
— léon (@jmkfine) August 4, 2024
We know he can swim but… pic.twitter.com/6i5QD8oOw6
— Tank.Sinatra (@GeorgeResch) July 28, 2024
#Paris2024 #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/BeY6Q67626
— Olympic Games Memes (@Cycling_Memes1) August 5, 2024
Updated, Aug. 12, 2024, 12:52 p.m.: This story was originally published on Aug. 6 and has been updated to include additional memes from the Games.
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