At the Paris Olympics, athletes received a treasure trove of high-tech goodies, including a free phone. For Team GB’s Imogen Grant, this was a welcome upgrade, as she had been clinging to her trusty Tokyo Olympics phone until it started to malfunction. Grant, a rower, proudly showed off her new device on TikTok, relieved to have a reliable phone again.
But the phones aren’t just for personal use; they play a starring role in the Olympic medal ceremonies. After receiving their medals, athletes take victory selfies with the devices, creating “new, more personal memories of the celebration atop the podium,” according to Samsung.
The goodie bags also contained an array of other high-tech swag, including toiletries, water bottles, and gift cards. Australian water polo players, for instance, are competing in cutting-edge swimsuits coated in a material originally developed for satellites. The suits are water-repellent, helping athletes go faster, but also incredibly tight, as demonstrated by the team’s hilarious Instagram video.
Meanwhile, Japan’s athletes are donning innovative anti-infrared kit to combat explicit photography. The special fabric absorbs infrared light, working similarly to stealth aircraft technology. This move comes after female athletes in Japan complained about explicit images circulating online, taken using infrared cameras that reveal body lines or undergarments.
