Are Manicures Allowed At The Olympics? 6 Nail-Art Styles That Took Home The Gold

Female Olympic athletes are often subjected to unfair criticism surrounding the notions of masculinity and femininity. In their professions, women are expected to uphold strict standards by maintaining an air of professional athleticism that has not always allowed them to express themselves through their appearance. These days, the official guidelines pertaining to manicures differ depending on the sport. For instance, U.S. gymnasts are allowed to paint their nails, as per USA Gymnastics' Rules and Policies document for 2023 and 2024, whereas polishes that might distract the judges are not permitted at the Olympics. Meanwhile, U.S. track and field athletes can go all out with their nail art. However, this hasn't stopped Olympic gymnasts such as Suni Lee and Simone Biles from wearing polished fingertips — nail art doesn't have to be "distracting" to make a statement. 

Today, we see athletes paint their nails to represent their native country or take inspiration from Olympic host countries as a form of self-care and a token of good luck. For others, it's a form of protest to help them reclaim their freedom of expression and identity while competing. Regardless, polished nails have now become a norm among female athletes, and we have Olympic gold medalist Florence "Flo-Jo" Griffith Joyner to thank for that. Griffith Joyner worked in a nail salon before becoming a runner and would often compete with flashy acrylics, which was atypical during the late '80s. "Every time you see a woman in the 100 or 200 meters with make-up and nails, that's Florence," her husband, Al Joyner, told CNN. Since then, many have followed suit to celebrate their own Olympic successes.

American gymnast Sunisa "Suni" Lee was named an all-around champion at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19). The Olympic champion successfully qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after attending the U.S. Olympic Team Gymnastics Trial in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On day two of the trials, Lee held up her hands to blow kisses to the audience after receiving a standing ovation, and the cameras caught a glimpse of her pearly manicure. Her 3D-accent nails were a cross between iridescent mother-of-pearl nails and delicate coquette nails. 

Olympic champion Simone Biles has earned seven Olympic medals over her career as an artistic gymnast. Four of the seven medals are gold, and she won all four during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in Minneapolis, the 27-year-old was successfully admitted to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games team. For the trials, Biles opted for a colorful French manicure with juicy red French tips to pair with her red, white, and blue leotard.

Swiss tennis player Belinda Bencic made Switzerland proud during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games where she took home the gold medal for women's singles on July 31, 2021. The tennis champion held up her hard-earned medal with Swiss flag-inspired gel nails, which featured candy-apple-red polish and a white cross on the ring finger of both hands.

Two-time Olympic medalist Dina Asher-Smith holds the national record in Britain for both the 100- and 200-meter races. She has yet to win a gold Olympic medal, but she earned two bronze medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. During the semi-finals of the 2020 Tokyo Games, "She wanted a nod to Japanese culture," nail artist Emily Gilmour told CNN. Therefore, she asked for nail art inspired by Japanese artist Hokusai's famous print, "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" to pay respect to the host country.

Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus took home the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for the 200-meter freestyle. While accepting her award, the Olympic champion flashed her shimmery metallic manicure, which she applied to trimmed nails. Her silver sparkle nails resembled the reflective surface of the water, which helped show off her playful side to fans.

Although American gymnast Jordan Chiles has yet to win a gold medal at the Olympics, the 23-year-old Oregon native did win gold with her team at the 2022 World Championships, along with a silver team medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. At the 2024 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trial in Minnesota, Chiles paid tribute to her home country with a red, white, and blue French manicure that featured retro swirl nails and fun 3D bubble accents. She also coordinated her patriotic acrylic nails with her star-spangled leotard and bow.