One thing about me? I cry at all lifecycle events. Weddings, bat mitzvahs, proposals, gender reveals, surprise military homecomings, you name it, I’m shedding a few tears. But the waterworks have been particularly active over the last two weeks thanks to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
When Jordan Chiles’s score changed and she won the bronze medal on floor (after a scoring inquiry into the difficulty of one of her moves bumped her up from fifth place to third), I cried. After Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade secured the gold medal and there was an all-Black podium for the first time in Olympic history, I cried. And I cried harder when Biles and Chiles bowed down to Andrade in a sportsmanlike show of congratulations and respect. When Ilona Maher and the United States rugby team clinched their first ever medal, yep, you guessed it! I cried.
Whether you identify as an emotional person or not, crying while watching the Olympics seems to be a common experience. But why? Why are the Olympics so emotional for the at-home viewers and fans? We asked a psychologist to demystify and explain the cascade of emotions.
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Christina Scott, PhD, is a professor of psychological sciences at Whittier College.
Why Do the Olympics Make Us Cry?
A lot comes down to community and pride, says Christina Scott, PhD, a professor of psychological sciences at Whittier College. “Many people strongly identify with a team or a particular athlete, and when they win we feel a sense of pride and accomplishment too,” she says. “There’s a sense of communal identity when we cheer for ‘our team’ (or ‘our athlete’), and when our team is victorious, we share in those positive emotions.”
People also feel a sense of solidarity with the athletes, whether they’re previously a die-hard fan or not, which is paired with immense empathy and joy when they succeed (or don’t succeed), Scott says. It’s even common for this emotional tie to heighten if the athlete has a moving or challenging back story, she says.
For example, Simone Biles faced mental health struggles at the 2022 Tokyo Olympics, and then emerged on top in Paris. The Team USA women’s rugby team and the Team USA men’s gymnastics team secured their first Olympic medals in a very long time (or ever, in the case of women’s rugby), adding to the emotions around the wins. In a way, their victories become “our victories” and we bask in the glory of their accomplishments, Scott says. As a result, we might just shed a few happy tears of pride.
There may also be a political element involved, Scott says – a sense of nationalism, if you will. “There has been a lot of divisiveness and tension in the United States recently, especially leading up to a presidential election, and the Olympics allow most Americans to set aside the ‘us versus them’ mentality and identify simply as ‘Americans’ who are cheering on ‘our’ athletes in competition against other nations.” In other words, the Olympics and the success of an athlete can be an uncomplicated unifier in an otherwise polarizing country.
Is It Normal to Cry During the Olympics?
Absolutely. “Crying isn’t good or bad, it’s an emotional release triggered by intense feelings in response to something we care deeply about,” Scott says. “For some individuals, they may be remembering their own athletic pursuits, and they feel a sense of solidarity with the athletes, and for others, it may be a sense of national pride or empathy for accomplishing an incredibly challenging life goal against all odds.”
The urge to cry is also humanly instinctual, and when an athlete crushes their goals, as fans, we’re met with pure awe and excitement which triggers a reaction, Scott says. Plus, there’s a universal understanding of the stakes and how hard athletes work to even make it to the Olympics, so when they win, it stirs and unleashes strong emotions.
So yes, if you’re bawling your eyes out from your couch while watching the Olympics, then hi, same. It’s very normal and honestly, humanizing. Tears just suggest we’re invested and emotionally connected to the athletes (and maybe even our nation).
Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based freelance writer and graduate from Emory University and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Her work has appeared in PS, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, and elsewhere. She is a mass consumer of social media, former collegiate pole vaulter, and cares about holistic wellness and non-stigmatizing reproductive care.
