The viral stars of the 2024 Olympics, so far

The world’s best athletes go to the Olympics vying for a coveted spot on the podium. But in the process, many of these competitors end up landing a prominent place on the internet.

Medal or not, these are some of the biggest winners of the Paris Olympics when it comes to internet adoration.

The ‘muffin man’

Do you know the muffin man? If you don’t, you probably haven’t been on TikTok in the last week.

Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen has been frequently uploading videos to his TikTok page that document his love of the sweet treat, which is available at the bakery at the Olympic Village.

His official ranking of the “choccy muffin”? An 11 out of 10.

Shooters looking sharp

Move over 007.

Kim Ye-ji, a 31-year-old South Korean pistol shooter, drew praise from fans online for her skill (she won a silver medal at the 10-meter air pistol women’s event ) and style.

The Olympian sported futuristic steampunk-esque glasses and a short ponytail while clutching her daughter’s small stuffed elephant in her back pocket. Her look has even inspired comparisons to James Bond.

Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikeç, who won a silver medal in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team competition, also went viral, with people online admiring his extremely casual look.

Clark Kent / ‘pommel horse guy’

Sure, most casual fans of the Olympics don’t necessarily know what a pommel horse routine is. But thanks to gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, lovingly referred to as “pommel horse guy” by internet spectators, there’s a newfound appreciation for the apparatus.

Nedoroscik, 25, became an internet favorite after having sat on the sidelines for almost three hours during the first five rotations before he anchored the United States on his specialty event.

He helped the men’s gymnastics team secure the bronze, while also securing many viewers’ hearts as the “the Clark Kent of pommel horse.”

The ultimate hypemen: Snoop Dogg & Flavor Flav

Rapper Snoop Dogg — the self-proclaimed “MVP of the Olympics” — has been everywhere at the Olympics.

First, the special NBC Olympics Correspondent carried the torch in Paris ahead of the opening ceremony. He’s since hit the ground running, attending games in which he reps various Team USA athletes on his T-shirts and hangs out with current and former Olympians (including Michael Phelps).

Another rapper, Flavor Flav, has also become the ultimate hypeman on the sidelines. He sponsored the U.S. women’s water polo team after player Maggie Steffens shared an Instagram post mentioning that many Olympians must work multiple jobs to support their athletic careers.

He and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian also helped track and field athlete Veronica Fraley pay her rent after she posted about struggling to do so just one day before competing.

Ilona Maher, TikTok queen

That’s Olympic bronze medal winner Ilona Maher to you.

The U.S. women’s rugby team player has amassed 1.9 million followers on TikTok, where since the Tokyo Games she’s become known for her funny behind-the-scenes videos.

In Paris, she’s shared her newfound appreciation for handball, poked fun at her own clumsy attempts at flirting, and showed off her opening ceremony outfit. She’s also been a body positivity advocate, sharing a reminder about the diversity of body types seen among Olympians and by detailing how she fuels her body.

‘Surf correspondent’ Colin Jost

Live from Tahiti, it’s Colin Jost. The “Saturday Night Live” comedian was tapped by NBC to cover surfing for this year’s Games from the coastal village of Teahupo’o in Tahiti, which is part of French Polynesia.

Throughout his time there, Jost, often appearing barefoot on air, has posted several updates about his foot injury (which happened after he hit a coral reef) and shared what it’s been like reporting from Tahiti versus from France. For example, how he’s been using a barbecue that doubles as his news desk and doing on-air hits with a laptop on top of a cooler.

Many online have joked about his segments. One user on X questioned whether Jost “covering Olympic surfing in Tahiti is an SNL sketch or a serious journalism assignment.” Another X user said it looks like Jost is “having the worst tropical vacation ever.”

Even Jost’s wife, the actor Scarlett Johansson, recently said on “TODAY” that she doesn’t know how he ended up there. “I’m like, how did he get this gig? I just want to know,” she told Savannah Guthrie.

A cheese-loving Olympian from Italy

Italian Olympic gymnast Giorgia Villa made headlines after helping the team win the silver medal during the all-around final. But many online were equally intrigued by her Instagram page, where she used to post a lot of images of herself posing with cheese.

That’s because the 21-year-old had a partnership with Parmigiano-Reggiano in 2021. While it’s not clear if she is still in partnership with the brand, many online felt her love of fromage was relatable.

Mondo Duplantis, ‘the Timothée Chalamet of the pole vault

Mondo Duplantis, 24, broke his own record in the men’s pole vault at the Paris games.

But people online couldn’t help but compare him to some Hollywood favorites, likening him to actors like Timothée Chalamet, Cillian Murphy and Jeremy Allen White.

The reported tennis exes who won gold

Katerina Siniakova and Tomas Machac won the mixed doubles tennis gold medal for the Czech Republic. The duo shared an emotional, intimate moment on the court after taking home Gold.

But the two stars are not a couple, after reportedly called it quits in July just before the Games.

Many online immediately came to the same conclusion after seeing their Olympics story unfold: Hollywood, get that rom-com/biopic made.

Honorable mention: The Phryges mascot

The Phryges (pronounced “FREE-jes”) are not athletes or celebrities but they’ve become internet legends all the same.

The 2024 Paris Olympics mascot is a little red hat, known as a Phrygian cap (or a liberty cap), which is a symbol of the French revolutionaries. They are also seen at every town hall and on French coins and stamps.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com