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These Photos of OIympians with Their Kids Show Paris Games Are a Family Affair
The Olympics are about celebrating achievement, unity, and as these athletes show us, family.
Hearing a crowd cheer your name at the Olympic Games is great and all, but it's nothing compared to the love and support of family members being on the scene to support all those years of intense training. Win or lose, professional athletes count on their parents, spouses, siblings, children, and other relations to show up for their life-changing appearance on the international stage.
Once all the adrenaline is gone, the competitors want to celebrate — or commiserate, depending on how they placed — with the individuals closest to them. The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have been no exception to that rule, as Olympians from all over the world have been encouraged by loved ones in the stands, and in some cases, have shared the exhilaration of taking home a coveted medal.
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Take a look at some of these heartwarming moments:
Auriane Mallo-Breton (Fencer; Team France)
Auriane Mallo-Breton, who took home a pair of silver medals for Women's Individual Epee (individual and team) at the 2024 Games, shared her victory with 3-year-old son, Mathis. Auriane comes from a family of accomplished athletes. Her two brothers, Axel and Robin, and father, Robin, are also fencers, while her husband, Jules Breton plays professional ice hockey.
Paulin Riva (Rugby; Team France)
Fans come in all shapes and sizes, as Paulin Riva's young daughter proved when she "rushed" the field to celebrate her father's gold medal win for Men's Rugby Sevens. As People amusingly pointed out, the girl may become a fine rugby player in a few decades' time.
Caeleb Dressel (Swimmer; Team USA)
Amidst all the excitement of winning a gold medal in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay, American swimmer Caeleb Dressel still remembered to shield his 5-month-old son, August Wilder, from the loud noises of the Olympic Games with a trusty pair of baby headphones. Dressel married his wife Meghan Haila, in 2021, with the couple welcoming their first child earlier this year.
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Adam Peaty (Swimmer; Team Great Britain)
Adam Peaty, who tied for a silver medal with America's Nic Fink, was content to let his son, 4-year-old George-Anderson, smile for the cameras while father and son shared a tender moment next to the swimmer's partner, Holly Ramsay (daughter of celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay). Less than a day later after winning a medal, Peaty tested positive for COVID-19. He's okay, though!
Emma Hayes (Soccer manager; Team USA)
Many kids would probably shy away from a motherly kiss on the cheek in a very public setting, but not young Harry here. The 6-year-old son of U.S. women's national soccer team manager Emma Hayes showed his support for the red, white, and blue crew with a simple face tattoo of the American flag and, of course, an adorable smile.
Estavana Polman (Handball player; Team Netherlands)
No matter how heated the game gets, there's always time to spend a few moments with your kid on the sidelines. Here, you can see Estavana Polman taking a moment out of the Netherlands' handball match against France to hold her 6-year-old daughter, Jesslynn (born to Polman and former professional soccer player Rafael van der Vaart). "Everything is about our little girl now," Polman says on the Olympics website. "Sometimes when you lose, you are awake the whole night. Then you look at her in the bed and think: ‘Tomorrow we bring her to school again’.”
Tom Daley (Diver; Team Great Britain)
Tom Daley — who took home his fifth Olympic medal at the Paris Games, and found time to knit himself a sweater — got an extra boost in the water with the love and support of his family cheering him on from the stands: mother Debbie, husband Dustin Lance Black (Oscar-winning screenwriter of Milk), and their two boys: Robbie and Phoenix. "Today has been magical,” Daley notes on the Olympics website. “Being able to compete in front of my family and to see them in the crowd and see them all get excited."
Novak Djokovic (Tennis player; Team Serbia)
Even with knee-related issues at the forefront of his mind, Novak Djokovic can rest assured that his kids, daughter Tara, and son Stefan, will support him no matter what. The Serbian tennis player advanced to the semifinals after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.
Napheesa Collier (Basketball player; Team USA)
Despite the fact that she's traveling most of the time for work, U.S. women's basketball star Napheesa Collier never wants to be too far from 2-year-old daughter, Mila. “We're on the road all the time, so whenever I can have her near me, I definitely take the opportunity," the athlete told Olympics.com. "But also to, for one, be surrounded by so many successful women. I think it’s really important, and to see how hard we work every day to achieve our goal, I think that's really important. I love that she's around that every day, she sees me doing something that I love and being successful. And I think that is also important for young girls to see, being passionate about what we're doing."
Rafael Nadal (Tennis player; Team Spain)
Rafael Nadal, the two-time gold medal-winning tennis champion from Spain was cheered on from the sidelines by his wife, Maria Francisca Perello (the two were married in 2019), and their 2-year-old son, Rafael Nadal Junior. Nadal and his tennis pairs partner, Carlos Alcaraz, were defeated during the quarterfinals while facing off against U.S. duo Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram. Nadal also lost out on the singles gold following a loss to Serbian rival, Novak Djokovic.
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Victor Koretzky (Cyclist; Team France)
French cyclist Victor Koretzky won his first-ever Olympic medal for Men's Cross-Country, coming second only to Tom Pidcock of the United Kingdom. The French rider nearly took home gold, but underestimated the final lap of the track, which wreaked havoc on his front wheel. Nevertheless, he appeared quite emotional (in a good way!) at placing in the Top 3 while embracing his wife and child.
David Smith (Volleyball player; Team USA)
David Smith represents the best of humanity's ability to overcome adversity. Born with acute hearing loss in both ears, the American volleyball player has now competed in four Olympic Games, setting a great example for his daughter, Amelia. “I’ve realized that if I do care about something, there’s a way to get there, there’s a way to manage it, to figure it out. … It’s the only world I know, but I’m doing the best I can, to make the best of it,” Smith said (via CNN).
Helen Glover (Rower; Team Great Britain)
After winning her third Olympic medal (she and Heather Stanning took home pairs gold at London and Rio), Helen Glover isn't sure whether she'll continue rowing. As she contemplates her athletic future, she'll bask in the glory of her victory alongside her husband, Steve Blackshall and their three boys: Logan, Kit, and Willow. "I think if I hadn't made it on to the podium, that would have been really hard," Glover admitted to the BBC. "I had just pictured this moment where I was stood there getting a medal with my kids in front of me, and that happened yesterday and so that kind of meant everything."
Clarisse Agbegnenou (Judoka; Team France)
Judo champion Clarisse Agbegnenou broke down in tears of joy after snagging a bronze medal at the 2024 Games. This is certainly a moment her baby daughter Athéna can look back on with immense pride one day. “I want women athletes who follow me to feel free and legitimate, to break codes to change mentalities and change the rules," Agbegnenou said during an interview with Le Parisien (via The Guardian). "We can have a life as a woman and mother as well as champion at the same time."
