Tyler Downs enjoyed a birthday celebration over the weekend befitting of a king. Or at least, an Olympian and certified “It Gurl!”
The Team USA diver, who’s one of our top athletes to watch in Paris, turned 21 years old. His teammates led the festivities, including a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday.”
“the best day to represent THE USA,” Downs commented on Instagram, complete with star-studded eyes and an American flag emoji.
How about we take this to the next level?
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This cutie definitely makes us want to stand… for the flag! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Downs, a Missouri native, is no stranger to the international scene. A six-time junior national diving champion, he made his Olympics debut at Tokyo 2020, when he was only 17.
At the 2023 Pan American Games, Downs and partner Jack Ryan won a bronze in the 3-meter synchro. At last year’s World Championships, Downs placed fourth–just one spot away from the podium.
When Downs and partner Geoff Duncan qualified for Paris last month, their jubilation was apparent.
With nearly 1 million followers on TikTok, Downs is a social media sensation. His top collab partner is gay bestie and diving champion Bryden Hattie, who won four SEC titles in his four years at the University of Tennessee.
Related*
Champion divers Bryden Hattie & Tyler Downs’ latest collab is making a big splash out of the pool
Hattie and Downs, both of whom are total cuties, boast more than 1 million followers on TikTok combined.
At the aforementioned 2023 Pan American Games in Chile, they rewarded their fans with tons of BTS footage. By the end of the event, the duo labeled themselves “gay icons.” 💅💅💅
They definitely slayed their way through the competition. That’s for sure!
While Downs has never publicly addressed his orientation, it’s apparent he’s comfortable in his own skin. He’s one of several star Gen Z athletes, such as No. 1 overall NFL pick Caleb Williams and Duke basketball standout Jared McCain, who bends gender norms.
Right before the Games, Downs announced a partnership with Rizz, a dating app that emphasizes flirting. With diving being wrapped up in the first week, Downs will enjoy plenty of time to potentially find love in the City of Light.
“I mean, it’s not completely off my mind,” he joked to Us Magazine. “It’s Paris. It’s the city of love and all that stuff. I’m hoping that people can find connections.”
After social distancing rules dominated the Tokyo and Beijing Games, athletes are once again permitted to socialize freely with each other. And organizers appear to think the Olympic Village will be hopping with action. They ordered 300,000 condoms! (The condoms come with slogans such as “play fair” and “don’t share more than victory.”)
Speaking of intimacy, Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan, who has quite a few gay fans himself, also debunked the myth that athletes will be sleeping in beds that discourage hanky panky.
Tom Daley performed his own testing, too…
Armed with cameras and tripods, many athletes promise to creative content throughout their Olympics experience.
Downs, of course, is at the top of the list.
He’s already posted three hilarious TikToks, living his best Brat Summer at the premier sporting event in the world.
When Downs qualified for his first Olympics three years ago, he said it was a dream come true. We can’t wait to enjoy his encore performance!
Related*
Tom Daley tests out the “anti-sex” beds in Olympic Village: “They’re pretty sturdy!”
God bless Olympics season!
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Is it me or does he look a lot like Tom Daley?
BartmanLA
Yep, I initially thought it was Daley when I saw the headline, I wonder if Tom and Tyler will be competing during the games. I am sure they’re friendly to each other. Tom Daley has always been welcoming, supportive and warm towards the other teams at al the games he’s competed in.