Paris Olympics TikTok Posts Reach 1.3M, Up 1,828% from Tokyo

The Paris Olympics have captivated global audiences with unforgettable moments, high-profile competitions, and stunning Parisian vistas. TikTok reported a massive surge in engagement, with over 1.3 million posts related to the event, marking a 1,828% increase compared to the Tokyo Games.

Partnering with Team GB, TikTok revealed that 233,440 creators contributed to the #Olympics hashtag, an 822% rise from Tokyo. The hashtag #Paris2024 amassed over 526,700 posts. Among the event’s leading viral sensations are Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen, also known as Muffin Man, and U.S. pommel horse champion Stephen Nedoroscik.

Christiansen, famous for his love of chocolate muffins from the athlete village, garnered 83 million video views. Though 3,000 muffins were consumed daily, it’s unlikely Christiansen ate them all. Nedoroscik, who drew comparisons to Clark Kent after securing the bronze medal on pommel, launched the first viral moment of the Olympics.

“We’ve seen incredible trends starting on TikTok, including the muffin man, pin trading, Turkish pistol shooter, and Simone Biles biting down on her medal. These trends are becoming part of pop culture,” said Rollo Goldstaub, TikTok’s global head of sports partnerships, at an event hosted by Team GB featuring performances by Natasha Bedingfield and Cat Burns.

Bedingfield wowed the crowd at the Team GB House with her hit “Unwritten,” along with other songs like “These Words.” “Unwritten,” prominently featured in “Anyone But You” with Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, has experienced a resurgence 20 years after its release, being used in over 1 million TikTok videos and now joining the Billions club on Spotify.

Burns, a double platinum artist and one of TikTok’s Breakthrough Artists in 2022, performed her hit “Go.” In recent years, she signed with Since 93 / RCA Records, collaborated with Sam Smith, and toured with Ed Sheeran.

Goldstaub expressed excitement for future events, particularly the Winter Olympics in Milan next year and the L.A. Games in 2028.

“The L.A. Games will be spectacular. We’ve heard that Tom Cruise will participate in the handover ceremony, hinting at the level of stardom we can expect in the U.S. for the Olympics,” noted the TikTok executive. “There are so many exciting things happening in the sports world.”