Olympics’ ‘Most Gorgeous’ Man and Gold Medalist Spotted Sleeping Outside at the Park — Viral Moment
Amid the fame and glory of the 2024 Paris Olympics, even the most celebrated athletes need a breather. Recently, Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon was caught sleeping in a park by Saudi Arabian rower Husein Alireza, who captured the moment and shared it on his Instagram story.
A netizen’s comment on Thomas Ceccon’s sleeping situation, posted in August 2024 | Source: Facebook/uniladmag
Alireza’s photo showed Ceccon fast asleep under a tree, crouched on a white towel next to a bench, with a backpack near his head. Alireza tagged the location as inside the Olympic Village and captioned the post, “Rest today, conquer tomorrow.”
Thomas Ceccon is seen sleeping under a tree next to a park bench in an Instagram Story posted by Saudi Arabian rower Husein Alireza in August 2024 | Source: Instagram/huseinalireza
The timing of the picture, whether before or after Ceccon’s events, remains unclear. However, the photo of him catching some z’s next to a park bench has sparked quite a buzz online. One netizen expressed concern, “Oh! What happened? Sad for him.”
Thomas Ceccon sleeps peacefully under a tree next to a park bench, shared by Saudie Arabian rower Husein Alireza on Instagram Story on August 2024 | SOurce.
Someone quipped, “He’s very tall so maybe the beds are only for short people.”Another humorously noted, “When you a winner the world is your bed [sic].”
Another commented on what the Olympic Village needed, “They need some ventilation.” One user criticized the village setup, “This could be done at any major university for almost nothing with much better accommodations.”
Another user expressed frustration over the expensive yet insufficient amenities of the athlete’s village, “1.6 BILLION dollars for cardboard beds and no AC???? What did they spend the money on [sic]?”
A seventh remarked, “Seems like Paris olympics is the worst olympics ever in the history of Olympics [sic],” while another stated, “I swear this Olympicss has been nothing short of a circus [sic].”
A netizen’s reaction on Thomas Ceccon’s sleeping situation, posted in August 2024 | Source: Instagram/realratedred
Meanwhile, one netizen remarked on Ceccon’s sleeping condition, “Poor guy just needs sleep and he can’t get it from the bed they have at the village. Just let him be.”
The netizens’ reactions to Ceccon’s outdoor sleeping situation came after the Italian swimmer voiced concerns about the uncomfortable living conditions at the Olympic Village.
Thomas Ceccon prepares for the Men’s 200m Backstroke Semifinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics at La Defense Arena on July 31, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Ceccon criticized the village, stating there was “no air conditioning” and the food was “bad.” He noted that many athletes have relocated due to these issues, emphasizing that these concerns are a reality rather than excuses.
The living conditions impacted Ceccon’s overall well-being, as he expressed difficulty sleeping due to the “heat” and “noise.” This scene contrasted with his usual afternoon naps at home, which are a significant part of his routine.
Thomas Ceccon heads for the Men’s 100m Backstroke Final at the 2024 Paris Olympics at La Defense Arena on July 29, 2024 | Source: Getty Images.
Despite the challenging conditions in the Olympic Village, Ceccon excelled in his first two races at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He won bronze in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay and gold in the men’s 100m backstroke.
Thomas Ceccon poses after the Men’s 100m Backstroke medal ceremony at the 2024 Paris Olympics on July 29, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Despite his impressive haul of gold and bronze medals, Ceccon fell short of qualifying for the final in the men’s 200m backstroke. Yet, his dashing looks and previous victories continued to captivate the crowd.
Proudly representing Italy, Ceccon, is a 2001-born athlete who has quite the swimming repertoire, having competed at two Olympic events before the Paris Games.
Ceccon’s first Olympic experience took place at the 2018 Buenos Aries Youth Olympic Games. There, he scored the first-place title in the men’s 50m freestyle, earned two silver medals for the 50m backstroke and 200m individual medley, and achieved bronze in the 100m backstroke and 4x100m freestyle relay.
Thomas Ceccon swimming at an event, posted on January 8, 2024 | Source: Instagram/ceccon_thomas
In 2021, his talents took him to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He walked away with a silver medal for the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay and a bronze medal for the men’s 4x100m medley relay. Additionally, Ceccon placed fourth in the 100m backstroke, just missing out on scoring another medal.
Thomas Ceccon swimming during an event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan on July 31, 2021 | Source: Getty Images
Adding an extra layer of triumph to his athletic victories is the fact that Ceccon won the world title for the 100m backstroke and beat the world record (51.60). This took place at the World Championships in Budapest.
Thomas Ceccon posing for a picture with his medal after competing in the 100m Freestyle Men Final during the FINA 19th World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on June 20, 2022 | Source: Getty Images
At the same event, Ceccon finished fourth in the 50m backstroke and placed fifth in the 50m butterfly. These achievements were in addition to a 47.5 leg in the 400m freestyle relay.
By the time 2022 rolled around, Ceccon won an impressive total of six medals at the European Championships, which included him winning gold medals for the 50m fly and 100m backstroke.
Thomas Ceccon at the European Aquatics Championships in Rome, Italy on August 17, 2022 | Source: Getty Images
The Paris Olympics were no exception for the talented Italian swimmer. A video shared by Vogue Magazine on TikTok showed the handsome, blue-eyed young man speaking to an interviewer with the gold medal he had won hanging around his neck.
Thomas Ceccon speaking to an interviewer at the Paris Olympics, posted on July 30, 2024 | Source: TikTok/voguemagazine
To highlight the playful intention behind the post, Vogue used Rihanna’s song “If It’s Lovin’ That You Want” in the background. They paired the video with the part of the track that has the lyrics, “I’m in love. I’m obsessed.”
“Yes, we are watching the #olympics for the ‘plot’ …. #thomasceccon,” captioned the outlet. Vogue was not the only entity mesmerized by Ceccon’s handsome features, as many people gushed over the swimmer.
“He is the most gorgeous man I have ever seen,”swooned a fan who had seen Vogue’s video. Another penned, “[Those] ocean eyes😩🙏.” “Hottest swimmer at #Olympics […] is definitely 🇮🇹 Italy’s #ThomasCeccon 😍 Gold medalist of 100m breaststroke!”gushed an admirer.
Thomas Ceccon after winning gold in the Men’s 100m Backstroke Final during the Paris Olympics in Nanterre, France on July 29, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Similarly, another fan echoed, “I gotta say, if I were a young single Olympic athlete, I’d be looking around that Olympic Village for Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon. Because not only can the man swim, he is Greek god gorgeous [sic].”
While many were impressed by the “Greek god’s” allure and swimming prowess, Ceccon always knew he was destined for greatness.
Speaking in Italian to a media outlet after his gold medal win in Paris, he said, “Winning the Olympics was my dream as a kid. When I was a kid I went in the car to training with Alberto (the coach, ed.). He asked me what my dream was, I said, ‘to win the Olympics,’ and he said, ‘Calm down, one thing at a time.’ As a kid I knew that I could have won.”
Ceccon has made a big name for himself in swimming, and being spotted sleeping in a park boosted his popularity. Despite the issues he faced in the athletes’ village at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he showed fearlessness and authenticity, winning even more fans worldwide.