Olympics swimming viewers in stitches over 'cap catcher' and say it's best moment of games so far

Following the pretty bizarre opening ceremony on Friday (26 July), the Olympics are well and truly in full swing.

This morning’s (28 July) games have been filled with drama and excitement from legendary GOAT Simone Biles making her big return to a convicted child rapist being booed as he made his debut.

And having viewers in stitches, a moment during the swimming heats today has already been branded as the best moment of the Paris 2024 Olympics so far.

With the BBC only covering certain parts of the games this year, rather than the whole thing, footage has gone viral on X of new legend, the ‘cap catcher’.

Not exactly the most glamorous of accessories but an essential for the athletes, the swimmer’s kits are of course completed by their super-tight swim caps stretched over their heads.

But before the final of the women’s 100m breaststroke prelims today, a cap was left behind in the pool. It belonged to American Emma Weber who had lost it during the previous heat.

So, as NBC wrote with its coverage on X: “Who do you call when a swim cap falls in the pool?”

Well, it seems the answer is the iconic nickname: “BOB THE CAP CATCHER.”

As cameras showed the cap floating sadly in the water, out came strutting a bloke in brightly coloured and patterned speedos to go and retrieve it. A new Olympics legend.

The crowd applauded him as he stripped down to his teeny-weeny swimsuit to go and fish it out.

Users shared clips online, with one writing: “The moment of #paris2024olympics so far…”

Others called it big ‘main character energy’, as another said: “He’s an icon, he’s a legend, he is the moment.”

Someone else put: “That was hilarious with the commentary. The crowd was in it! With the whistles haha.”

Many said they want to see an interview with him as one viewer put: “The dude who just dove into the pool to retrieve the cap while wearing colourful speedos during the women’s heat - you’re a hero.”

With plenty laughing as they wrote: “The lifeguard finally having his moment at the Olympics by having to retrieve a swim cap from the bottom of the pool.”

It was echoed as another commented: “Olympics have peaked. Middle aged French Dad bod in brightly patterned budgie smugglers fetching a rogue swimming cap out of the pool. Biggest cheer of the games so far, well played that man.”

Gold medal for him then.

The most bizarre, discontinued Olympic sports

Painting

Back in the day, the Olympics dished out medals for art too, with events including painting and sculpture, as well as music, architecture and even literature.

Making its debut all the way back at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm and continuing until the 1948 London games, juries awarded competitors a total of 151 medals for artistic projects inspired by sport.

Tug of War

Bet you didn't think this playground classic was once part of the Olympics, did you?

Well, it turns out not only was the sport popular, but it stirred up a lot of drama too - with accusations of foul play flying around at the 1908 Olympics in London, with Team USA accusing Team GB of cheating due to their 'illegal' heavy footwear.

A mainstay for around five Olympic games from 1900 to 1920, Tug of War enthusiasts have even campaigned for organisers to reintroduce the retired sport back into the Games.

Hot Air Balloon Racing

Launching at the 1900 Olympics, hot air balloon drivers would compete in races scoring how far they could travel, altitude reached, ability to land within the correct coordinates and - to top it all off - who got the best photo from the balloon.

The sport ended up being canned after a ban on motorised sports was brought in.

Live Pigeon Shooting

Also making its debut at the 1900 Olympics, the event was pretty self explanatory - a load of pigeons were released into the air as the competitor tried to shoot as many as possible. Grim.

The event only appeared at the Games once, and all in all, it's estimated that Olympic hopefuls killed around 300 pigeons.

Pistol Duelling

It doesn't take much guessing as to why this event was scrapped, but back in 1906, people clearly didn't bat an eyelid at competitors waving pistols around and shooting at each other.

It began with competitors shooting at dummies, but two years later organisers decided to shake things up and have them shoot at each other with wax bullets. Ouch.

1908 would be the last time the sport was included in the Olympics, so I'm guessing they quickly realised it was a bad idea - wax bullets or not.