Some fans wonder how Katie Ledecky's nails are chip-free.
By Lisa Fernandez ••
Olympians can show their patriotism in many ways. They can win at their sport. They can take home a medal. And they can also get a manicure.
Fans not only cheered on Stanford University’s Katie Ledecky for her swimming miracles this week, but some were also in awe of her nails. Ledecky clapped her gleaming red-and-blue nail polish to her smiling face after she won her second gold medal Tuesday night, a sight that made many question aloud: How did she keep her nails from chipping? Jamberry nail wraps, maybe? Stickers? Shellac?
AFP/Getty Images
Montenegrin players raise their hands with their nails painted in the colours of the Olympic Rings during the women's preliminaries Group A handball match Montenegro vs Spain for the Rio 2016 Olympics Games at the Future Arena in Rio on August 6, 2016. / AFP / afp / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
Sportsfile via Getty Images
A detailed view of the nails belonging to Tamires of Brazil during the national anthem at the Women's Football first round Group E match between Brazil and China on Day 2 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AFP/Getty Images
USA's Serena Williams, with her nails painted in the colors of the US flag, holds her racket during her women's first round singles tennis match against Australia's Daria Gavrilova at the Olympic Tennis Centre of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 7, 2016.
AFP/Getty Images
US gymnast Simone Biles with her fingernails painted in the US flag, prepares to compete in the Uneven Bars event during the women's team final Artistic Gymnastics at the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 9, 2016.
AFP/Getty Images
Egypt's Doaa Elghobashy's Olympic and Egyptian flags design nail polish are pictured as she gestures to her teammate during the women's beach volleyball qualifying match between Italy and Egypt at the Beach Volley Arena in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 9, 2016, for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
AFP/Getty Images
Puerto Rico's Monica Puig, her nails painted with the Olympic rings, lies on the court as she reacts after winning her women's third round singles tennis match against Spain's Garbine Muguruza at the Olympic Tennis Centre of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 9, 2016.
Getty Images
The flag of the Netherlands is seen painted on the nails of Jantine van der Vlist of the Netherlands during the Women's Beach Volleyball preliminary round Pool E match against Canada on Day 2 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Beach Volleyball Arena on Aug. 7, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AP
United States' Missy Franklin, with her nails painted the colors of United States flag, swims during a training session at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 07: A detailed view of maple leaves painted on the fingernails of Heather Bansley of Canada during the Women's Beach Volleyball preliminary round Pool E match against the Netherlands on Day 2 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Beach Volleyball Arena on August 7, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
AP
The painted nails of United States' Kassidy Cook are seen as she takes part in a training session in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.
AFP/Getty Images
India's Manika Batra's Indian flag design nail polish is pictured as she serves in her women's singles qualification round table tennis match at the Riocentro venue during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 6, 2016.
AP
United States' Katie Ledecky celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women's 200-meter freestyle final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics on Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AP
Argentina's Ana Gallay has her nails painted with her country's flag as she serves against Spain during a women's beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.
AFP/Getty Images
Montenegrin players raise their hands with their nails painted in the colours of the Olympic Rings during the women's preliminaries Group A handball match Montenegro vs Spain for the Rio 2016 Olympics Games at the Future Arena in Rio on Aug. 6, 2016.
“How do these swimmers keep nail polish on?" Liz Davis tweeted. "If I put one toe in a pool, my nail polish crumbles like a Nature Valley granola bar. #Olympics.” Others, however, slammed anyone who would ask this question of such an elite athlete calling the question sexist and beside the point.
But it’s not just athletes who are sporting hot manis.
UC Berkeley graduate and swimmer Nathan Adrian was extremely grateful to a Amanda Frias, 28, of Los Angeles, who painted her nails red, white and blue with his name in all capital letters. “This is about as original as it gets,” Adrian put on Instagram on Wednesday, hours before he is set to swim in the men’s 100m freestyle.
In a phone interview, she said that she figured she hadn't done her nails in a while and thought, "What the heck? I'll do my nails and tag him." She never thought someone as famous as Adrian would notice. She was wrong. He reposted her photo, and as of late Wednesday morning, her nails on his page had more than 14,000 likes. "I did not expect that," Frias said. "I can't get that smile off my face.'
With everything in the Olympics, though, issues, even ones about nail polish, can dredge up a bit of controversy.
In 2014, the Swedish Olympic Committee told athletes they shouldn’t paint their nails in rainbow colors or face disqualification for supporting gay rights ahead of the Olympics in Sochi.
This year, one of the biggest controversies actually came from Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova, booed loudly in the pool for her past doping suspensions.
But even though some have dubbed Efimova the “Olympic villain,” sports watchers like Michele Cunningham still were admiring the Russian’s hot pink and orange fingertips.
She may “be a cheater,” Cunningham tweeted, “but her nail polish game is on point.”
