What to Pack for the Summer Olympics When You’re an Olympian

Some of the best athletes in the world in their respective sports will be in the spotlight during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games — but before they get to Paris, they have to pack for Paris. So what are the things they can’t leave home without? SportsTravel has canvassed opinions from dozens of athletes between the Team USA Media Summit in mid-April in New York City and since then in multiple media opportunities. Here’s a rundown.

Kelsey Bing, field hockey: “I actually normally travel with a blanket because that is very heartwarming. I also love croissants, it’s my favorite thing ever. I have a croissant necklace on right now, I wore it to manifest qualifying. … We have a little team mascot, Edgar, an eagle. He attaches onto the side of our dugout.”

Olivia Chambers, para swimming: “I have this stuffed hippo since I was about six months old and I bring it everywhere with me. It helps me ease the nerves. Beyond that, making sure that I have extra sets of goggles and all my suits.”

Eli Dershwitz, fencing: “I’m a perennial over packer. If I need to get ready for a training camp or competition where I’m going to do nine workouts, I bring 18 pairs of workout equipment even if I can do laundry. I throw everything in an extra suitcase and I just prefer not to worry about it. … I have a bracelet of bottlecaps that my sister made me in middle school. I have a small bottle of hot sauce that my coach gave me when I was a little kid because I used to put hot sauce on everything. (It) never broke, I don’t know how going through all these airports and getting lost in all these rural countries. I would never open it up and use it, it’s probably disgusting by now. … There’s a little glass turtle, I really liked turtles growing up and I tried to catch them growing up near a lake. I would be very, very sad and I don’t know how much it would affect me but I am hoping that I never have to compete without it.”

Kate Douglass, swimming: “Definitely aside from all my swim gear, a lot of lotion and stuff. At a swim meet, that’s definitely important. Then me and my friends, we’ll probably bring some digital cameras to record everything.”

Crystal Dunn, soccer: “Headphones. A sleep mask now that I’m a mom. I need every bit of help to get my Z’s.”

Joshua Edwards, boxing: “My diffusers. I’m big on smells, I can’t be somewhere where it doesn’t smell good. If something stinks, I can’t concentrate. I change it up, I like more fruity scents than calm ones — those make my head hurt after a while.”

Megumi Field, artistic swimming: “I have this back massager that I cannot live without. I lay on it at night before I go to bed.”

Casey Kaufhold, archery: “I definitely want to bring a lot of my own snacks. I take my own food no matter what because you never know what the local grocery store has. They may not have your Goldfish or your Oreos. I’m a pretty light traveler, I’ve made it on international trips with just my equipment and a carry-on. I have some teammates who are like how do you pack in such a small little bag. They give you a duffel full of Nike stuff and a duffel full of Ralph Lauren stuff. Then I have my bow case, so I’m coming back with three pieces of luggage. I took a little roller carry-on last time and I was like I don’t know how I’m going to take all this stuff through the airport. I think this time around I’m going to try to just make it in a backpack.”

Jordan Larson, volleyball: “As I’ve gotten older, how to take care of my body with vitamins and recovery tools, how do I keep staying ahead of that. That’s huge for me. I would say there’s nothing crazy. I’ve traveled all over the world so I’m used to living on not a lot. If you can’t find it, you’ll figure it out.”

Lee Kiefer, fencing: “I try to stay adaptable. I’ve been in so many situations where I’ve gotten food poisoning, or I’ve missed my flight, so I kinda want to go into each competition being like (stuff) happens, that’s fine, we’re going to work with it. If I have something like (a list), I’m setting myself to be screwed over later.”

Rose Lavelle, soccer: “My kindle. I travel everywhere with it.”

Brody Malone, gymnastics: “I never travel without my pillow. I always sleep on my pillow. I did it once when I was little and slept terrible, didn’t do good at a competition and I was like all right I’m bringing my pillow from now on.”

Morelle McCane, boxing: “I always have a picture of my little brother. He passed away so I gotta take him with me. Everything else, I’ll figure it out.”

Grace Norman, para triathlon: “The first things I’m putting in my bag are my prosthetics. Everything else is replaceable – shoes, race kit, helmet, bike. Prosthetics aren’t.”

Brooke Raboutou, climbing: “My climbing gear, my shoes, harness, all of that. Ear buds for the plane, I love listening to music and that really grounds me and keep me in my space.”

Daniella Ramirez, artistic swimming: “My suits, my ID. I pack this meditation cushion in all my stuff so I can meditate in the morning and before I go to bed. Other than that, I can kinda deal. … This necklace, it’s Venezuela where my family is from. I never leave the house without it. It stays in my water bottle when I’m in the pool so that people don’t step on it and break it. It was a gift from someone who’s passed away now.”

Emily Sonnett, soccer: “My eye mask.”

Abby Tamer, field hockey: “When we went to Pan Ams that was a pretty similar experience (to Paris). We got Nike gear when you were there. I made sure I brought a little pillow; it reminds me of home. I’ll bring that for sure. I like to have a Michigan shirt that I sleep in because it’s super comfortable. … I’m going to bring a lot of food because I like to have my specific stuff before a game, so a good amount of my suitcase will be food.”

John Tolkien, soccer: “It’s gotta be cologne. I love all sorts of scents. I couldn’t do without it.”