Thomas Ceccon: The swimming champion who stunned the Olympic Village

Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon has gone to extreme lengths to get some sleep at the Paris Games, having been spotted sleeping in a Paris park after moaning about the conditions of the Olympic Village.

According to the Hindustan Times, Ceccon said: "There is no air conditioning in the village, it's hot, the food is bad. Many athletes move for this reason: it's not an alibi or excuse, it's the reality of what perhaps not everyone knows."

Picture - Instagram @Husseinalireza

The Italian swimmer has taken the internet by storm, and not just for his incredible performances in the pool.

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Ceccon has been a revelation for Italy in the pool at the Paris Olympics, helping his nation win a bronze medal in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay before taking home gold in the 100m backstroke.

During the medal ceremony where Ceccon and his teammates collected their bronze, a slight wardrobe malfunction revealed Ceccon's midriff, or as Today puts it, his, "well-cut abs."

Ceccon's adonis-like abs were immediately noticed by fans online, with one writing, "I'm not one for being swayed by the beauty of men or women. But, then, there's Italian gold medallist swimmer Thomas Ceccon," after his second time on the medal podium.

Another fan simply wrote, "That italian olympic swimmer thomas ceccon is moving me."

Ceccon's abs are certainly nothing to be sniffed at, but the swimmer's performances should be the main talking point, with the Italian dreaming of Olympic gold since childhood.

In an interview with Rai Italy before the Games, Ceccon said, "When I was a kid I used to go to training with Alberto (the coach). He asked me what my dream was, I said to win the Olympics and he said 'Easy, one thing at a time.' From when I was a child I knew I could win it."

Ceccon's athletic ability comes from both sides of his family, with his mother winning Italian championships in skating, whilst his father competed in the pentathlon during his time in the military, per Rai Italy.

Per Today, Ceccon's nickname is 'The Shark' which feels pertinent given his speed in the water and the danger he could pose to anyone who gets a look at him!

Paris 2024 is not Ceccon's first Olympics, with the Italian also competing in Tokyo where he claimed a silver in the 4x100m freestyle, bronze in the 4x100m medley, and finished fourth in the 100m backstroke, per Today.

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