11 celebrities who dreamed of Olympic glory: Jason Statham, Caitlyn Jenner and more

Both Jason Statham and Vera Wang competed in the Olympics, even if they didn't achieve stardom there

Online News Writer & Diversity and Inclusion Lead

July 28, 2024Jul 28, 2024, 9:00 AM GMT+1

The Olympics are upon us! The Games always have a habit of making stars out of its medal achievers, including Tom Daley, Dina Asher-Smith and Max Whitlock.

But, did you know that the Olympics has attracted some of Hollywood's biggest names before they achieved their superstardom? The likes of Jason Statham, Caitlyn Jenner and even Vera Wang were all either decorated Olympic athletes or tried for glory before going down an entirely different career path.

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Join HELLO! as we take you through the Olympic athletes you never expected…

Jason Statham

While we're familiar with action star Jason Statham in films like The Expendables, Snatch and the Fast & Furious franchise, Jason twice attempted to qualify for the Olympics as a diver.

The action hero competed in trials for both the 1988 and the 1992 Olympic Games, falling short on both occasions. "It's a bit of a sore point that I never got to the Olympics," the star said back in 2016, although he did represent the country in the Commonwealth Games and other diving tournaments.

Vera Wang

While we now know her as an iconic fashion designer, Vera Wang initially had her hopes set on Olympic glory with figure skating. Alongside skating partner James Stewart, Vera attempted to qualify for the 1968 Games but was ultimately unsuccessful.

It was the star's failure to qualify for the Olympic Games that spurned her into fashion. Speaking to the South China Morning Post, she explained: "I was devastated when I did not qualify for the Olympic team. I had a nervous breakdown and ended up doing a semester in Paris, where I realised I had a passion for fashion."

Caitlyn Jenner

Unlike Jason and Vera, not only did Caitlyn Jenner compete in the Olympics, she brought home a gold medal in the decathlon. After a disappointing tenth place in the 1972 Games, Caitlyn was on the top step of the podium at the 1976 Games.

Geena Davis

Gemma David in a white shirt and blue trousers with an archery bow

Actress Geena Davis was inspired to take up archery while watching the 1996 Olympic Games. The star trained hard, but she failed to qualify for the US Olympic team for the 2000 Games.

Hillary Wolf

While you might recognise Hillary Wolf for her role as Megan McAllister in the first two Home Alone films, the actress competed for the US Olympics team in 1996 and 2000. Her 1996 appearance in the judo tournament saw her reach the quarter-finals.

Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss

Today, the Winklevoss brothers are better known as tech entrepreneurs, with the pair co-founding ConnectU. The brothers famously launched a lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg claiming that the businessman stole their idea to launch his social networking site, Facebook. In 2008, the brothers competed in the coxed four rowing event, finishing in sixth place.

Cody Simpson

Singer Cody Simpson is a recent addition to the list, having tried out for both the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games as a swimmer. The star was ultimately unsuccessful on both occasions, losing out to Matthew Temple by just half a second in the qualifiers for the 2024 Games.

Reflecting on his journey, the 27-year-old said: "I did what I could do, and that's all you can do. I've come a lot further in the last four years than perhaps I could have bargained for. Starting from zero and trying to see how far I could get in half or a third of the time that everybody else has been training, just to do right by that kid in me that gave it up to go and pursue something else, which I had an incredible journey."

Bruce Dickinson

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson could have seen Olympic glory had he decided not to withdraw from fencing competitions. The heavy metal singer was seen as a top pick and named the seventh-best fencer in the UK before withdrawing as it felt silly "fencing 18-year-olds" when he was aged 23.

Harold Sakata

While many will know Harold as iconic Bond villain Oddjob, the star previously represented the US at the 1948 Olympic Games in weightlifting, walking away with a silver medal.

Noel Harrison

Actor and singer, and son of star Rex Harrison, was able to achieve his Olympic dreams when he competed in the 1952 and 1956 Winter Olympics as an alpine skier.

READ: Princess Anne wishes Team GB 'every bit of success' ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics

INSIDE: Dina Asher-Smith's minimalist home where she hides away Olympic medals

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