Why are Olympic Athletes knitting at the Olympics?
Knitting at the Olympics is no longer a viral curiosity. It is a visible trend across both Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
From the stands to the athletes’ village, Olympic athletes have been sharing photos and videos of themselves knitting, crocheting and engaging in handmade activities before and after competition. The question many people are searching for is simple: why are Olympic athletes knitting?
The answer is linked to focus, stress management and mental performance.
|
|
|
Tom Daley, Paris 2024 |
Tom Daley and the rise of knitting at the Olympic Games
The global conversation around Olympic athletes knitting began with Tom Daley at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Cameras captured him knitting in the stands between dives, and the images quickly spread worldwide.
Daley later explained that knitting helps him manage anxiety and maintain concentration during high pressure competitions. By the Paris 2024 Olympics, knitting had become part of his public identity. He launched his knit kit brand Made With Love, turning a personal hobby into a creative business.
At the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, he once again brought his crochet projects, even making medal pouches for fellow Olympians. His presence confirmed that knitting at the Olympics is not a one time media moment, but an ongoing cultural shift.
Ben Ogden and why Athletes knit to relax
 |
|
| Ben Ogden, knitting at Milan Cortina Olympics 2026 |
The trend continued with Ben Ogden, who won silver in men’s cross country skiing at Milan Cortina 2026. His medal ended a five decade Olympic drought for the United States, the last podium dating back to Bill Koch at the Innsbruck 1976 Winter Olympics.
After his historic race, Ogden shared that he would unwind by knitting. He described it as a great way to relax after an adrenaline filled day.
For elite athletes, knitting provides repetitive movement, controlled breathing and a measurable sense of progress. In a competition environment defined by unpredictability, knitting offers rhythm and stability.
Knitting, Mental Health and Olympic Performance
Knitting at the Olympics is not limited to individual athletes. During the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, members of the Finnish snowboard team were seen knitting during downtime. Their coach, Antti Koskinen, encouraged the practice because of its positive impact on anxiety management and focus.
 |
| Jessie Diggins' first hand-knitted sweater |
Athletes such as Breezy Johnson and Jessie Diggins have spoken about the importance of off slope activities and mental reset practices. Younger athletes including Sophia Kirkby, Maddie Mastro, Adam Runnalls, Maxime Germain and Jasper Fleming are also contributing to a broader image of athletes who integrate creativity into their routines.
Search interest around terms like “Olympic athletes knitting” and “why do athletes knit” reflects a growing curiosity about the link between handmade craft and high performance sport.
 |
| Antti Koskinen, snowboard head coach, shows how he knits, during a news conference in Pyeongchang, South Korea, February 14, 2018. |
Beyond performance: what the Olympics reveal about making
Elite sport is usually associated with speed, dominance and intensity. Yet in the most competitive environment on the planet, some of the most disciplined athletes are choosing slow, repetitive, handmade activities.
That contrast is not accidental.
 |
| Adam Runnalls, olympic sweater in progress |
Manual craft creates a closed loop of effort and visible result. One stitch follows another. One row becomes a finished piece. There are no judges, no rankings, no podiums. Only process.
For athletes whose careers are defined by measurable outcomes and external validation, this shift matters. Craft offers control in a space where results are never guaranteed.
In a hyper connected world, handmade practices also represent something else: sovereignty over time and attention. They are deliberate. Tangible. Human.
At TA-DAAN, we recognize and fully agree with this shift. We believe making by hand is not a nostalgic gesture, but a contemporary way to slow down, reconnect with process and build focus in a world that constantly accelerates.
And when Olympic medalists choose yarn over scrolling, they send a signal that resonates far beyond sport.
Cool people make things.Not because it is nostalgic.Not because it is trending.But because it builds focus, resilience and identity beyond performance.
The Olympics amplify culture. And this edition makes one thing clear: making by hand is no longer a niche hobby. It is part of how high performers reset, recharge and redefine success.
 |
| Knitters Club at Milano Cortina 2026 |