Filipino-American gymnast Aleah Finnegan tested the cardboard bed athletes will use during the 2024 Paris Olympics and shared her experience in a TikTok video days before the games began.
In the video, a staff member showed her how to adjust the bed’s comfort by moving the mattresses to suit an athlete’s preference.
Finnegan also demonstrated the different types of foam available: soft, moderate and firm.
“There are different layers, there’s like a tiny mattress in here and this is… It literally looks like hot glue,” the athlete said.
To test the bed’s durability, Finnegan jumped on it.
@aleahfinn Definitely not the finest mattress ever but it will do😭 #fyp #foryou #cardboardbeds #olympics #olympicbeds ♬ original sound – aleah finnegan
Her TikTok video garnered 5.3 million views, over 453,000 likes, and 1,800 comments from sports fans and TikTok users, many of whom expressed concern about the bed’s sturdiness and comfort.
“I’d order a mattress topper from Amazon and have it sent to the Olympic Village,” an online user suggested.
“I cannot believe that’s what pro athletes sleep on,” the TikTok user wrote with a crying emoji.
“No way LeBron is sleeping on that lol,” a third user remarked, referring to U.S. Olympic flag-bearer and basketball superstar LeBron James.
“For the locals, the village is a huge part of the Olympics. They had the same beds in Tokyo. It’s a whole thing,” an Olympic fan commented.
Why cardboard?
Cardboard bed frames first appeared in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as part of a recycling initiative.
Forbes reported in 2021 that these beds can support 440 pounds and are reportedly sturdier than wood. Initially used in disaster shelters, the Tokyo Olympics introduced them as an eco-friendly gesture.
“The beds can support 440 pounds and are reportedly sturdier than wood. While cardboard beds have long been established for use as makeshift beds in disaster shelters, the Tokyo Olympics introduced the beds as an eco-friendly gesture,” it read.
The Olympics also posted a video showing the entire bed model, emphasizing that the beds are customizable and sustainable.
“These sustainable beds are 100% made in France and will be fully recycled in France after the games,” the creator said in the video.
The Paris Olympics will run from July 26 to August 11.
