Olympic nail art to inspire your new manicure
Thought the Olympics was all about winning? Think again! The biggest beauty story to come out of the Olympics is the amazing nail art designs we've been spotting on the athletes…
From patriotic flag designs to cute colours, the athletes' nails have been in top form over the years.
Take a look at our all-time favourites...
Getty ImagesIn 2016...
Sport: Beach Volleyball
Brazil's Agatha Bednarczuk attended the Beach Volleyball final in style with her patriotic coloured nails.
Getty ImagesSport: Golf
We hope Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn doesn't struggle with her long talons while playing golf! Love the colours on the ring finger.
Getty ImagesSport: High jump
Morgan Lake of Great Britain competes in Women's High Jump Qualifying while rocking a baby blue polish with flag-printed ring fingers.
Getty ImagesSport: Cycling
Total cycling superstar Laura Trott celebrated one of her many gold medals and showed off her awesome nail art while she was at it.
PA PhotosSport: Relay
Mariabenedicta Chigbolu from Italy passed the baton in style with her Olympic-inspired talons.
PA PhotosSport: Beach Volleyball
Argentina's Ana Gallay sticks to her country's colours while serving.
PA PhotosSport: Swimming
Missy Franklin of the USA shows off her excellent technique - and cool nail art - while in the pool.
Getty ImagesSport: Pole Vault
Jennifer Suhr of the United States gives her patriotic nails a twist by using the American flag colours in triangular designs.
Getty ImagesSport: Cycling
How cute is Olympic Gold Medalist Laura Trott's sparkly patriotic nail art? We love the mix of bright, fun shades.
Getty ImagesSport: Gymnastics
Gymnastics star Simone Biles shows off the most perfect glittery tips with a slice of patriotism on her ring finger.
Getty ImagesSport: Beach Volleyball
Egyptian women's Beach Volleyball player Doaa Elghobashy is well and truly in the Olympic spirit as she rocked the five-ringed Olympic symbol as well as the Egyptian flag on her nails. That's creativity.
Getty ImagesSport: Beach Volleyball
Isabelle Forrer is not only representing her country in women's Beach Vollyball at the Rio Olympics, but she's also reflecting her patriotism through her epic nail game as she sported red nails with a white cross on top to resemble the Swiss flag.
PA PhotosSport: Tennis
Serena Williams may have lost out during the doubles games for the 2016 Rio Olympics, but she won with her nail game. She kept it simple with a red manicure but on her pinky finger she rocked a bright blue nail with a small white star painted on. Very patriotic.
PA PhotosIn 2012...
Sport: Cycling
For London 2012 Olympics, Laura Trott, one of Britain’s brightest young talents rocked the best nail art: we love the Union Jack/Olympic stripes combination.
Rex FeaturesSport: Cycling
Victorious cyclist Victoria Pendleton ensured those gold medal close-ups were picture-perfect with her Team GB nail art.
Getty ImagesSport: Athletics
Olympic 400m champion Sanya Richards-Ross celebrated her win by clapping perfectly-polished stars and stripes nails together. We're starting to think the secret to success is a good manicure...
PA PhotosSport: Cycling
Dani King, Laura Trott and Joanna Rowsell showed their gold medals off with gorgeous nails in red, white and blue.
Rex FeaturesSport: Athletics
The quickest woman in the world Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce celebrated her 100m win by waving her national flag, matched by her sunny yellow manicure.
PA PhotosSport: Tennis
Victoria Azarenka played mix and match with her nail colours.
Rex FeaturesSport: Tennis
Women’s doubles champion Venus Williams was so confident of the win that she matched her polish to her medal.
Getty ImagesSport: Weightlifting
Mexico's Luz Mercedes Acosta Valdez painted her nails with her national flag, plus a British one in honour of the London games. We love!
PA PhotosSport: Tennis
Angelique Kerber got patriotic with perfectly-painted German flags.
Getty ImagesSport: Swimming
Goggles? Check. Swimming hat? Check. Seriously stylish popping blue nails? Yup! Bahamas' Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace accessorised her swimmies with a hue from national flag before competing in the women’s 100m freestyle semi-finals swimming.
PA PhotosSport: Swimming
Oh, we do love an outfit planned so carefully that even the nails match. Full marks go to Bronte Barratt.
PA PhotosSport: Beach Volleyball
Team GB’s Shauna Mullin stuck to a red, white and blue theme for her super-cool nail art during London 2012.
Rex FeaturesSport: Swimming
Hanna-Maria Seppala of Finland gave herself some extra encouragement by painting her national flags on her fingertips: something to reach toward, perhaps?
PA PhotosSport: Kayak Slalom
We hope Caroline Queen was paddling carefully: it would be a crime to ruin such a pretty manicure.
PA PhotosSport: Beach Volleyball
Becchara Palmer and Luise Bawden might be from Australia, but we spy a British flag on that thumb. Perhaps the fingers are blue with stars on?
PA PhotosSport: Beach Volleyball
Ah-ha, there are the rest of Becchara Palmer’s nails. She’s flag-tastic!
Rex FeaturesSport: Swimming
Brit sporting hero Rebecca Adlington clutched her 400m Freestyle bronze medal with perfectly-manicured Union Jack nails.
Rex FeaturesSport: Swimming
Fifteen-year-old Ruta Meilutyte from Lithuania celebrated her Women’s 100m Breaststroke win, showing her patriotism with flag-tipped fingers.
Getty ImagesSport: Swimming
We bet Spain's silver medalist Mireia Belmonte Garcia got a bit of extra paddling power with those long, manicured nails.
Getty ImagesSport: Swimming
America’s Jessica Hardy looked great with sparkling red and blue nails.
PA PhotosSport: Beach Volleyball
Zara Dampney showed off solid red nails with a Union Jack on one nail. Nice uniform, too.
PA PhotosSport: Beach Volleyball
Shauna Mullin showed off yet another patriotic manicure, this time a simple red, white and blue combination.
PA PhotosSport: Beach Volleyball
Sara Goller kept it chic and simple with a German flag manicure.
PA PhotosSport: Beach Volleyball
The US team kept things simple with one-colour glossy manicures.
Getty ImagesSport: Swimming
The US Women’s swim team just might have had the most well-manicured mitts of the games. Do they give out medals for that?
PA PhotosSport: Archery
Great Britain’s Amy Oliver’s Olympic manicure is just right for the occasion. Go Team GB!
Getty ImagesSport: Athletics
Olga Kurban not only opted for a Russian-themed manicure, she also rocked an Olympics-themed ring. We like it.
Getty ImagesSport: Athletics
Hyleas Fountain was so dedicated to the Olympic cause that she even got the rings tattooed on her tummy. She also rocked multi-coloured nails.
PA PhotosSport: Cycling
Annette Edmondson matched her manicure to her team kit colours with a stripy green and yellow design.
PA PhotosSport: Cycling
Australia’s Anna Meares shows off a starry manicure as she celebrates her Olympic medal.
Getty ImagesSport: Athletics
We want Tiffany Porter’s hot pink nails! Does anyone recognise the shade? Answers on a postcard, please…
Rex FeaturesSport: Beach Volleyball
Kerry Walsh Jennings of USA wiped tears away as she received her gold medal, with blue and red painted nails.
PA PhotosSport: Cycling
Victoria Pendleton got emotional as she greeted fans in Hyde Park: what better excuse to show off that gorgeous manicure again?
