Olympic gold medalist takes nap on lawn after complaining about Olympic village conditions: 'Hard to sleep'

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Thomas Ceccon may have won an Olympic gold in Paris, but it's hard to say whether a good night's sleep contributed.

The Italian swimmer took home the men's 100-meter backstroke for his first Olympic gold at just 23 years old (it was his second Games).

But he didn't quite get the same success in the 200-meter; he failed to qualify for the final.

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Gold medalist Thomas Ceccon of Italy stands on the podium with silver medalist Xu Jiayu of China, left, and bronze medalist Ryan Murphy of the United States after the men's 100-meter backstroke final at the Summer Olympics on July 29, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Ceccon said he was "too tired" in that semifinal.

"It’s hard to sleep both at night and in the afternoon. Here, I really struggle between the heat and the noise," Ceccon said after that race.

Saudi rower Husein Alireza was walking around last week when he spotted Ceccon actually resting up in the middle of the lawn, simply just laying on a sheet next to a bench.

Ceccon said he was taking a "nap."

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"There is no air conditioning in the village, it’s hot, the food is bad," Ceccon added about the conditions. "Many athletes move for this reason. It’s not an alibi or an excuse, it’s the reality of what perhaps not everybody knows."

Village conditions are a story at every Olympic Games, but this year it's been said that meats are uncooked, food portions are not enough, and bed mattresses have been compared to cardboard.

Air conditioning has also been lacking, as numerous athletes have brought fans after the Games announced a more climate-friendly cooling system.

Thomas Ceccon of Team Italy is shown after competing in the men's 200-meter backstroke semifinals during the Olympic Games on July 31, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Yann Krysinski, who is in charge of the delivery of venues and infrastructure at this summer's games, said in March that AC units are not necessary due to the layout of the buildings.

"We designed these buildings so that they would be comfortable places to live in in the summer, in 2024 and later on, and we don't need air conditioning in these buildings because we oriented the facades so that they wouldn't get too much sun during the summer, and the facades, the insulation is really efficient," Krysinski told Reuters.

Gold medalist Thomas Ceccon of Team Italy stands on the podium during the medal ceremony after the men’s 100-meter backstroke final during the Olympic Games on July 29, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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The decision is part of the organizing committee’s goal to cut the carbon footprint of the Paris Games by half and stage the most sustainable Olympics to date by installing special technology to use natural sources to keep everyone cool even during a potential heat wave. But that apparently has not happened.

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