6 weird Olympic jobs you didn’t know existed — and one involves balloons
Everyone’s tuning into the Olympics and watching star athletes compete and go for the gold.
What viewers don’t see from home is the behind the scenes that goes into the Olympics and all the people that work hard to make the games happen.
And there are quite a few unusual jobs that people have to make sure everything runs smoothly that wouldn’t cross most people’s minds.
“The #ParisOlympics wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for a lot of people doing weird jobs you’ve probably never thought of,” the NBC Olympics Instagram account wrote in a caption on a post.
Here’s a deep dive into some of the odd jobs that people are hired to do during the Olympics:
Cap catcher
The cap catcher is someone who dives to the bottom of the pool to collect swimmers’ caps that fell off.
This year’s person for the job, “Bob the Cap Catcher,” went viral on social media after American swimmer Emma Weber’s swim cap sunk and delayed the start of the final women’s 100m breaststroke heat.
The then-unknown man sporting a tight, colorful speedo saved the day — and people back home couldn’t get enough.
Six-time Olympic gold medalist and USA Network analyst Amy Van Dyken took the liberty of nicknaming the beloved unidentified man.
“That’s what we need to call him. Bob the Cap Catcher. Great job, Bob.”
Block builder
During equestrian events, it’s inevitable that horses will knock down and kick the blocks they’re jumping over.
Luckily, there are people to fix that. Block builders re-stack and/or polish the blocks when needed.
Camera cleaner
Ever wonder how you can see such a clear shot of the Olympic divers from above the diving board?
The camera cleaners are to thank for that, using “the longest mop/duster you ever did see,” the NBC Olympics post said.
Balloon brandisher
The balloon brandisher is the reason gymnastics fans get to see the floor routines.
Ballon brandishers “casually” walk around while brandishing an oversized balloon attached to a long pole to prep camera angles for the floor routine.
Lifeguards
People are often shocked to find out that there are actually lifeguards present at the Olympic swimming events full of professional swimmers, with many people finding the job to be “useless.”
But retired Olympic swimmer Cullen Jones previously told the Associated Press that “it is not worthless at the Olympics to have lifeguards.”
“Anything can happen. You can cramp up, God forbid. So it’s not the most worthless job.”
General cleaning
Of course, floors, courts, mats and beyond need to be cleaned before and after events. There are many staff members of the Olympics that make sure everything is cleaned and ready to go.
Additionally, during events like shooting, staff members are tasked with picking up and collecting cartridge cases and empty ammunition shells from the floors.
