A three-time medalist at the Paris Olympics, who excelled in swimming events, has faced scrutiny from fans over a possible unfair edge.
Though we’re just a week into the sporting extravaganza in France, the event has been rife with controversies and discussions.
The opening ceremony sparked considerable debate, and recently, much of the conversation has centered on Imane Khelif, the boxer who previously didn’t pass a gender eligibility test.
Australia’s Ariarne Titmus is another athlete catching attention in Paris, having clinched three medals in swimming competitions.
Traditionally, the US dominates Olympic swimming, but this time, Australian athletes have been exceptionally impressive.
Australia’s medal tally in swimming has reached 13, including seven golds.
Titmus has played a significant role in this success, with Paris marking her second Olympic appearance.
At Tokyo 2020, she secured two golds, a silver, and a bronze, and she has maintained her stellar performance in Paris.
The 23-year-old has defended her title in the 400m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle, while also matching her Tokyo silver in the 200m freestyle.
Titmus is still competing in the 800m freestyle, with heats starting on Friday (2 August).
Her remarkable displays in the pool have not gone unnoticed, but some have raised concerns about a potential unfair advantage.
Sporting bright yellow acrylic nails, Titmus has led some to speculate whether the length of these nails aids her in activating the timing pads at either end of the pool.
“How are fingernails like this allowed. I’ve seen how close the races have been,” one person asked on Reddit.
Contrarily, many people disagree with this point of view. Another Reddit user stated, “If fingernails helped, everyone would have long ones, and would also grow out their toenails.
“The tips do not have enough surface area to trigger a touchpad and the force exerted by coming into a wall on a finger is very uncomfortable.”
Another commenter added: “Fake nails hitting the wall first are not going to make you win. You have to hit those boards hard to trigger them to stop.”