The Podium: The tradition of the Olympic rings tattoo

Getting an Olympic tattoo is a tradition for athletes who have the honor of competing on the world stage. It can happen whenever the Olympic dream becomes a reality.

For Elizabeth Beisel, a three-time Olympic swimmer, getting the rings tattooed was among the first things she did when she found out she’d be an Olympian. 

For Kaillie Humphries — fresh off winning gold in women’s monobob — tattoos make her feel more confident, whole and at peace with herself. She has a tattoo of a sleeping dragon, which epitomizes how she feels on the track.

In Day 10’s episode of The Podium, Humphries and Beisel talk about the importance of tattoos to Olympians, why they wear their Olympic experiences on their sleeves and how they react when spotting another person with the Olympic rings tattoo.