Well, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games are officially underway and that means that your social feed is likely full of Olympians showing off their merch hauls, giving room tours, and yes… testing out the infamous cardboard beds.
The Olympic cardboard beds have been a hot topic during the Olympics ever since they were introduced at the Tokyo Games in 2020 and they are still the talk of the town in the Paris Olympic Village.
As we can all imagine, the beds are probably not very comfy, but at least Olympians are having fun putting them to the test on their social platforms, especially TikTok. With so many Gen-Z Olympians this year, it’s no surprise that many Olympians have taken to social media to document the behind-the-scenes life in the #OlympicVillage.
In case you missed it, here are four of the most amusing and creative cardboard bed TikToks from Olympians after they recently moved into the Olympic Village.
Cardboard Bed, Dance Floor or Stage?
Some Olympians, like Team USA’s women’s rugby team, decided to test out the strength of the cardboard bed frames by using them as a dance floor for viral TikTok dances.
Ilona Maher (@ilonamaher) and her rugby teammates also used the beds as their stage to dramatically reenact scenes like childbirth, a wrestling match, gymnastics routines, and even a flying airplane?!?
The Olympic Games are a stressful, nerve-inducing time for any athlete, so it’s good to see Team USA blowing off steam and having fun prior to the start of competition.
How Many Olympians Can You Fit On One Bed?
Others have taken to putting the cardboard bed’s strength to the test by piling in as many Olympians as possible on top of the bed. It truly is a full team effort.
Tyla King (@tylanathanwong) and her Team New Zealand rugby teammates were able to fit 7 people on the twin-size bed and yes…the bed survived with no damage.
While cardboard might have a bad rep for being flimsy, many Olympians are happy to report that the cardboard beds are pretty sturdy (so much for the “anti-sex” beds?).
The Built-In Trampoline Park
Others, like Team South Africa’s skateboarder Brandon Valjalo, have put the bed strength to the test in other ways by using it as a trampoline.
In his recent video, Valjalo (@brandonvaljalo) is seen catching some serious air while he jumps on top of the bed. No worries, no Olympians nor cardboard beds were harmed in the making of the video.
Controversial Additions to the Cardboard Beds
As entertaining as the Olympic cardboard beds may be, some Olympians have taken matters into their own hands by adding some comfort to the styrofoam-like mattress. Some have even gone so far as to compare the material of the mattresses to a Scrub Daddy sponge.
As a result, Team Australia’s water polo manager took matters into his own hands and bought mattress toppers for all members of their women’s water polo team in an attempt to make the beds a bit more comfy.
Tilly Kearns (@tillykearns), a member of Australia’s women’s water polo team, shows off her new addition to her cardboard bed in her recent video. In the comments, some jokingly call the comfy additions an “unfair advantage.” Hey, all’s fair in sports and sleep.
The Games are just getting started, so we’re likely to see even more amusing Olympian TikToks to come in the coming weeks as Olympians become our new favorite influencers.