Inside Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon’s Paris Olympics journey: from his gold medal in the men’s 100-metre backstroke to endorsements with Omega

While Italians held their breath as the men’s team swam their way to a third place in the 4×100-metre freestyle relay at the Paris Olympics on July 27, the internet collectively gasped when swimmer Thomas Ceccon revealed a glimpse of his abs on the podium.

As Ceccon celebrated with his bronze medal alongside his teammates, audiences were temporarily distracted by the swimmer’s sculpted abdominal muscles, which peeked out from under his sweatshirt, per People.

Fans are flocking to the Italian swimmer’s social media account, leaving words of admiration – and, most of all, heart-eyed emojis – in the comments section. Ceccon, who also nabbed gold in the men’s 100-metre backstroke at the Games, took to Instagram to share snippets of his Olympic journey with his 430,000 followers.

Here’s what we know about the Olympian beyond his toned physique:

Road to gold

Becoming an overnight internet sensation may not have been part of his plan, but winning a gold medal at the Olympics was. In the same interview with Italian news outlet Rai Italia, he said he couldn’t be happier about the win and that “As a kid, at 15, the coach asked me, ‘What is your dream?’ I answered, ‘To win the Olympics’… it’s always been my dream.”

But Paris isn’t the swimmer’s first time stepping onto an Olympic podium. He made his debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. There, he also competed in the men’s 4×100-metre freestyle relay, taking home a silver medal, as well as a bronze medal in the 4×100-metre men’s medley relay.

At the individual 100-metre backstroke event in Tokyo, Ceccon placed fourth, just missing his chance at a medal. However, he was able to improve his performance and win gold at the 2022 World Aquatics Championship in Budapest.

A multitalented athlete

Besides swimming, Ceccon is also trained in tennis. In a video interview with World Aquatics in 2022, Ceccon says he enjoyed swimming and playing tennis with his brother but found himself at a crossroads where he had to focus on just one of the sports: “But ultimately, I’ve always liked swimming. I have always enjoyed staying in the water with my brother. So finally, my parents chose I should continue swimming.”

Beyond the pool

There’s no doubt that his new-found fame and Olympic gold will bring him sponsorship opportunities. Already a star in his home country, he’s taken to Instagram to promote his sponsors.

He’s also showcased his curly locks in ads for L’Oréal haircare brand Kérastase. And in one Instagram post Ceccon can even be seen promoting prosciutto ham – by enjoying a giant sandwich.