Why Do Divers Have Little Towels?

Why Do Olympic Divers Have Little Towels? Explaining the Routine

The little towels serve a more important purpose than you'd think at the Olympics.

Published Aug. 7 2024, 2:06 p.m. ET

Those tuning into the aquatic events at the 2024 Paris Olympics likely have asked a handful of questions about the athletes' behavior in between competitions. For starters, divers often immediately shower and soak in pools after getting out of the pool they just dove into. They'll also use little towels to dry themselves off, even though oftentimes they're going to climb the ladder and jump back into the pool moments later.

So why do divers do this? Why do they have the little towels to dry themselves off with in between their dives? Let's unpack this peculiar behavior for those who aren't familiar with diving and other aquatic sports.

Why do divers have little towels?

Being warm is incredibly important for divers and other Olympic athletes who spend a lot of time getting in and out of the pool. Though the water in the swimming pools isn't particularly cold, the air when they get out of the pool usually is. Should the athlete get too cold, their muscles will stiffen up, hurting their performance during their next jump.

The little towels the divers carry around, which are called chamois (pronounced "shammy"), are used to dry them off quickly.

The little towels are incredibly absorbent, and since diving requires the athletes to grab their legs in the air, ithey must be able to do so without losing their grip. Though it may seem a bit counterintuitive to dry off before getting right back into the water, doing this ensures that they can perform their best for every dive and also keeps them safe as they compete.

Removing the excess water from their skin after a dive helps the diver stay warm out of the water. Staying warm is also another reason the divers will often sit in warm pools after a dive. Keeping their muscles limber is an important part of diving and helps prevent injury or poor performance.

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