When they aren't competing, Olympians are all over Tinder in Rio
In what has become something of an Olympic tradition, Olympic athletes in Rio are using Tinder at a shockingly high rate.
Tinder spokeswoman Rosette Pambakian told the AP on Wednesday that usage in Rio has skyrocketed since the Olympics began, especially in the Athlete Village. From Pambakian:
You might say that the Athlete Village has becoming something of a Tinder ... hotbed.
The popularity of mobile dating apps at the Olympics was a big story in London in 2012, and continued in Sochi in 2014. It's no surprise, then, that IOC officials allocated roughly 450,000 condoms for athletes staying in the Olympic village this summer in Rio.
As a source told E! News (via Perez Hilton), Tinder is especially popular among athletes because it makes it easier for them to connect with other athletes:
"Many of the athletes prefer to meet other athletes on Tinder and other dating apps because that's easier, and then they do group dates with other athlete friends. Many of these women and men have been out of the dating game or never in the dating game before the Olympics, so it's a lot to take in for these athletes, especially after training so hard to be here."
One Olympian said he had 10 matches on his first day in Rio. That's more than some of us have ever had.
Marcus Nyman, a judoka in the men's 90-kilogram division from Sweden, said he got 10 matches on Tinder in the first day or so after he arrived in Rio.
"A lot of the athletes here are using this app," said Nyman, 25.
Other big-name athletes found to be active on Tinder from Rio include golfer Ricky Fowler and (in a shocking twist) swimmer Ryan Lochte.
There are approximately 11,000 athletes competing at the Olympics, and only 300 or so will win a medal. For everyone else, a match on Tinder here or there has to be a nice consolation prize.