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Photos of 2012 Olympic Swimmers’ Tattoos are all here

Missy Franklin Olympic Rings Tattoo

Clark Burckle Olympic Rings Tattoo

Conor Dwyer Olympic Rings Tattoo

Jimmy Feigen Olympic Rings Tattoo

Andrew Gemmell Olympic Rings Tattoo

Shannon Vreeland Olympic Rings Tattoo

Nick Thoman Olympic Rings Tattoo

Lia Neal Olympic Rings Tattoo

Rachel Bootsma Olympic Rings Tattoo

Jessica Hardy Olympic Rings Tattoo

Claire Donahue Olympic Rings Tattoo

Lauren Perdue Olympic Rings Tattoo

Cammile Adams Olympic Rings Tattoo

Haley Anderson Olympic Rings Tattoo

For a complete history on Olympic Tattoos look no further than this feature story

U.S. Swimmers Go for Gold, and a Tattoo

written by NY Times reporter Karen Crouse.

Karen covers the bases we in the swimming community already know, that Missy Franklin’s fine with getting ink, but that Natalie Coughlin — despite three trips to the Olympic Games — simply does not want to bring attention to herself in public. Karen does, however, go back in time and find the first Olympic swimmer to get the rings, Chris Jacobs, an old Olympic teammate of mine from the 1988 Olympic Games.

FROM KAREN: “Jacobs, who won three medals at the 1988 Seoul Games, admired the maple leaf tattoo on the chest of the Canadian breaststroker Victor Davis. On his way home from South Korea, Jacobs stopped in Hawaii to unwind and to get the Olympic rings tattoo near his racing suit line.”

Long live the tradition, and many thanks to Chris Jacobs for starting it.

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Swimmer
9 years ago

Hey out of curiosity, does anyone get the rings with “Trials 2012” under for the people who just made trials, because that is a huge accomplishment in itself

Jim Davis
12 years ago

Small point here, they look all great, especially Burckle’s, but the way the rings cross over matters doesn’t it? I mean, some rings i see here don’t over lap or pass under other rings like the actual Olympic Rings symbol. I think it matters but I would like to hear what everyone else thinks.

anonymous
Reply to  Jim Davis
12 years ago

I’m not an olympian…but if I were, I would definitely care that it’s accurate. To be honest, I don’t think many athletes recognize the exact detail of the olympic rings and that no ring is in front more than once. Phelps’ rings are actually wrong, which is ironic. Also, I think some of the girls inadvertently got their tattoos a little larger than they wanted. But regardless, they earned them!!

FYI to add to those above: Kara Lynn Joyce got her rings with Missy and posted a photo on Twitter; Caitlin Levrenz’ got hers on her ankle in all black (i she posted it on instagram).

Wouldn’t it be great to see all the tattoos from this year’s team? (even… Read more »

swimmer24
12 years ago

I very much enjoy jessica hardys, and that picture of it. Well done jessica, well done.

Philip Johnson
12 years ago

i like Franklin and Perdues, small and subtle. Burkle & Fiegen’s are just flat out tacky.

Ben
Reply to  Philip Johnson
12 years ago

Yes, because 50 years from now when their skin is wrinkled and sagging people will remind them how it was indeed tacky to get the rings tattooed after making it to the finals/earning a medal at the Olympics. I hope you can detect my sarcasm.

SwimZ
12 years ago

Did anyone notice that Lauren Perdue’s bottom two rings are mixed up. I am pretty sure the yellow is supposed to be on the left, maybe its just the picture that makes it look different, I could be wrong.

Reply to  SwimZ
12 years ago

I think she just took the photo in a mirror

Tony
Reply to  SwimZ
12 years ago

Taken using a mirror is my guess

WHOKNOWS
12 years ago

Some of those tatoos are huge! So much for modesty! Billboard size here we come!

RetiredOldLady
Reply to  WHOKNOWS
12 years ago

I agree. I love my rings, but some of those tattoos are GIGANTIC!

About Gold Medal Mel Stewart

Gold Medal Mel Stewart

MEL STEWART Jr., aka Gold Medal Mel, won three Olympic medals at the 1992 Olympic Games. Mel's best event was the 200 butterfly. He is a former World, American, and NCAA Record holder in the 200 butterfly. As a writer/producer and sports columnist, Mel has contributed to Yahoo Sports, Universal Sports, …

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