There are plenty of fish in the sea, and especially in the Olympic Village. Lucky for me, apps like Hinge and Tinder are practically fishing rods in this vast ocean, helping reel in connections from all over the globe. I recently stumbled upon this wild Tinder hack while scrolling through TikTok: You could change your location to the Paris Olympic Village and see all of the hotties living there. With the chance to dive into the Tinder scene at the Paris Olympics, I just couldn’t resist the gold medal-worthy dating scene opportunity. After a quick purchase of Tinder+, I quickly found myself matching with some of the world’s greatest athletes.
Sure, I’ve definitely snagged my fair share of dating wins and losses in the online dating arena (we all have our silver and bronze medals, right?), but this was a whole new level. Thanks to the Tinder Passport feature, I set my location to the Olympic Village, and suddenly, my swiping experience transformed. I mean, I know I would never pass up the chance to chat with someone who can run a mile in under four minutes. Talk about stamina.
According to Tinder, swipe activity in France jumped by nearly 20% since the start of July 2024. Additionally, there was a 103% rise in the use of Tinder Passport Mode at major tourist spots in Paris. Plus, Tinder reported a rise in users (in Paris) identifying as “Olympian” (52%) and “athlete” (43%). TBH, that was all the motivation I needed to give it a try.
For just $6.99 a week, Tinder Passport allows you to change your location to wherever you want. Normally, Tinder uses your phone’s GPS to show you people in your area, but with this feature, you’re able to swipe through profiles from different cities.
Setting up Tinder Passport was super easy. I just had to make sure I had a Tinder+, Tinder Gold, or Tinder Platinum subscription. I opened the app on my phone, tapped on my profile icon, and headed to Settings. There, I selected Tinder+ and chose my payment plan. Once I was all set up, I went back to my profile, tapped on “Settings” again, then “Location,” and clicked on “Add a new location.” I could enter a city, zip code, or address, and just like that, I was ready to start matching with new people.
To find the Olympic Village specifically, I used the 13 Chemin du Croult, Saint-Denis, Île-de-France address. One thing to keep in mind was that when I switched locations, I stopped seeing profiles from my previous area. However, the cool part was that I still matched with people I had already liked.
Even though I was paying for a primo plan, Tinder Passport was basically the same deal as the OG Tinder. After refreshing the app, the familiar layout greeted me, and swiping left and right was second nature to me. My thumb hovered over the screen, and with a flick, I was instantly transported to a global stage. The first profile that caught my eye was a guy posing with his friend, both not only decked out in their Olympic uniforms but also flashing what looked like their bronze medals. Next, I spotted another athlete, standing proudly in front of the iconic Olympic rings.
It was only a matter of time before all of the professional athlete photos came rolling in, from swimmers ready to dive, rugby players mid-action, and runners on the track. Each profile was a snapshot of dedication and passion, a glimpse into their extraordinary lives, and with each swipe, I felt like I was traveling without ever leaving my room.
But let me tell you — there are a few twists to Tinder+. First, not all the Olympians bragged about their medals in their bios. Some didn’t even mention the sport they competed in, let alone provide any information about themselves overall. (There should be a new Olympic sport called sleuthing, because the way I was digging for clues in these profiles deserved the gold.) Second, to try and discover more of the athletes, I had to brace myself to switch to some older age adjustments, and let’s just say, there were no complaints or regrets on this end. (Age is just a number, right?) Lastly, thank goodness I was the VP of French Club back in high school — and became BFFs with Google Translate — because a lot of the athletes were all about la langue française.
I’m not going to downplay it: Getting my first match was such an exciting experience. Adam* was a charming guy who spoke French, Spanish, and English, which immediately caught my attention — and he messaged me first! As we started chatting, I learned he worked at the Olympic Village — not an athlete, but still pretty cool. But things took a turn when he began asking me about where I was in Paris and wanting to know when I’d be visiting for the Games, which, let’s be real, was not happening.
After that first interaction, my real question was how to kick off a convo with these amazing athletes. When I’m starting a chat on any dating app, I aim for that perfect mix of fun and flirty. This might not have been the Winter Olympics, but I still wanted to score big with the ideal icebreaker. Playful confidence has always been my go-to, so I sent flirty challenges like, “What sport do you play?” or “So, when are you taking me on that victory lap?”
I felt a wave of dread wash over me whenever someone asked if I was in Paris (just to clarify, I am literally at my parent’s house in Massachusetts), and admitting that felt like admitting defeat. But instead of panicking, I leaned into the moment, by casually typing back, “Trying to aim for it,” with a wink emoji.
I learned pretty quickly that my little line didn’t quite hit the mark, and I ended up unmatched with a few of my connections. I mean, I get it — being on different continents can put a damper on things. It’s not necessarily my fault that these connections were doomed from the start with me in the United States and them in Paris, but if it’s really that big of a deal to be there IRL, then fly me over.
Aside from being unmatched by a few athletes, by Aug. 1, I had kept my matches with a cyclist, a volleyball player, and a swimmer. Bryan*, the cyclist from Austria*, looked like he had just rolled in from a summer ride, his bright jersey practically waving at me from the screen. I couldn’t resist crafting a text: “I wheelie think this could be a fun vibe.”’
To my surprise, we clicked instantly. Our convo took off as we chatted about the thrill of hitting the open road, the most breathtaking routes, and the exhilarating rush that comes with every ride. It felt like we were sharing an inside joke, riding a wave of good vibes together. But, then came the silence. A few days passed, but I hoped my homeboy was just busy prepping for his big race.
Not ready to give up on my quest, I turned to another match — Chris*, a volleyball player from Brazil*. Our chat started with a bang. When he mentioned being on a men’s volleyball team, I seized the moment and replied, “You must be a setter because I’d hit that ;).” I felt myself getting swept up in the excitement, and it was as if I had made the perfect play. The conversation was going strong, and I couldn’t wait to tease him about his enthusiasm for the game. He told me, “You know how to talk,” and what I managed to type back was, “Gold medal worthy?” to which he replied “Exactly.” I was blushing.
Finally, there was the swimmer from Canada*, David*. Seeing that he was a D1 athlete at a college back in the States, I felt a spark of excitement and knew I had to strike up a conversation about his swim team. I dove in with, “This is crazy, but I was literally at [his school] the other weekend.” It’s true — I had visited his campus not long ago. Talk about a small world, right? I’m still waiting for his reply TBH, but I love how the thrill of connection is like a race — sometimes you speed ahead, and other times, you find yourself coasting.
Now, don’t get me wrong — I had an absolute blast chatting with those Olympic athletes. The mere thought of one of them wanting little ol’ me (ego boost alert) made the Summer 2024 Olympics feel even more exciting. But like all dating apps, Tinder has its quirks, and I found that the Olympic Village vibe can be a little… unpredictable. One moment, I was swiping through normal profiles, and the next, I was matching with a medalist fresh from a competition. The allure is undeniable, but it’s also a mixed bag. The athletes are fiercely competitive, which means that navigating conversations can sometimes feel like running a marathon.
Plus, keeping up with their pace is no easy feat. Everyone’s got their eyes on the prize, and while it’s definitely fun to flirt with someone who can run faster than you can imagine, the realist side of me also recognized that they were also focusing on their training and performances. Since their minds were glued to their games, I was competing for their attention against their jam-packed schedules. And don’t even get me started on the time difference. Those six hours and 3,500 miles definitely made me question if it was even worth it.
The thrill of swiping right and potentially scoring a date with an Olympian felt like a rush of adrenaline for me. Suddenly, my matches weren’t just a random college roster — they were world-class athletes. My DMs turned from the usual “DTF?” to a whirlwind of athletic patriotic conversations and some charming international banter. I found myself daydreaming about what it would be like to share a smoothie with a medalist or chat about their training routines over coffee. And trust me, Tinder delivered with the matches and left me breathless in anticipation.
There’s just something about the unpredictability of Olympic life that makes every moment so memorable for me. I found myself diving headfirst into the chaos, and honestly, it was unforgettable. Swiping through Tinder+, I never know what kind of exciting encounters were waiting for me — maybe a casual chat with an Olympian or a surprise match that sparked something unexpected. Here’s to all my matches and Olympic dreams yet to come.
*Names and countries have been changed.