Inside the Paris Olympic Village: Track and field star Chari Hawkins reveals how athletes can get their nails done and take bakery classes between events – and shares the chocolate muffins that have become a viral hit

American track and field star Chari Hawkins has revealed what facilities will be made available to Olympic athletes taking part in this year’s Games in Paris.

Hawkins, 33, told MailOnline that elite athletes living in the Olympic Village can also enjoy a life of luxury between events.

Showing off her nails, which were made up of a combination of the American flag, the Olympic rings and a gold medal, she said, “The Olympians can get their nails done and their hair cut.

‘They have bakery classes, so you can bake bread. You can also get a cappuccino and you can print any picture you want on it.

“There’s a meditation room, they have saunas. It’s really nice.”

Hawkins, who studied at the University of Bath in 2018, also shared her thoughts on The Village’s chocolate muffins, which went viral thanks to a Norwegian swimmer’s TikToks.

Hawkins, 33, told MailOnline that elite athletes living in the Olympic Village can live a life of luxury between events

The Games’ chocolate muffins have gone viral

“I see them every day and I think, those muffins,” she said with a longing sigh.

The world first heard about the legendary muffins after Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen, who competes in the men’s 800-meter and 1500-meter freestyle, raved about them on TikTok.

In one clip, a teammate can be seen saying, “I feel like you just came for the chocolate muffins,” before the camera pans to show the three-time Olympian going wild on one of the muffins.

In another video, he is seen pulling muffins out of a secret drawer, his nose covered in chocolate. In a third video, he says, “I HEREBY DECLARED MYSELF THE OLYMPIC MUFFIN MAN.”

But it’s not all fun and games at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Parisians are still reluctant to take a dip in the Seine despite a massive €1 billion clean-up operation organised ahead of the Olympic Games, MailOnline has learned.

Hawkins, who studied at the University of Bath in 2018, also shared her thoughts on the village’s chocolate muffins that went viral thanks to a Norwegian swimmer’s TikToks

“I see them every day, and I think… the muffins,” she said with a longing sigh

Locals still said they found the river ‘dirty’ and the idea of ​​swimming in it was dismissed as ‘crazy nonsense’ when asked, and they were also concerned about the water quality in the capital.

This came after the men’s triathlon event was postponed due to poor water quality, after tests in the river provided “no sufficient guarantees” that the event could go ahead.

Although World Triathlon reported that water quality had improved, the event was still postponed until Wednesday. It is the latest setback for organizers after a difficult start to the Games, marred by bad weather and criticism of the opening ceremony.

France has spent more than €1 billion (£840 million) cleaning up the river in preparation for the Games, but locals are still not convinced the water is safe to swim in.

MailOnline spoke to Shaka Ponk singer Frah in the French capital after the event was postponed due to concerns over water quality.

When asked if he would swim in the river, he replied, “No, it’s crazy shit.”

‘I think it’s gross.’

When asked what could live in the river, a second person replied, “Anything that’s dirty, rats live in it.”

Frah, lead singer of Shaka Ponk, told MailOnline he thought the idea of ​​a dip in the river was ‘crazy’

He said unequivocally that he would not swim in the river despite efforts to clean it.

Training sessions for the Olympic triathlon event in Paris have been cancelled in recent days

He said he would consider swimming in the river for a million dollars.

Others were more convinced and had confidence in the local government’s efforts to make the river safe for swimming.

“I think it’s very clean,” a third person told MailOnline.

‘Pollution wasn’t a big concern for Paris. Now it is.

‘We should be happy about this. What the city has done for its people.’

Paris has spent a small fortune cleaning the river that runs through the capital in preparation for the Olympic Games.

This included the construction of a huge reservoir to collect excess rainwater and prevent waste from entering the river.

Before the renovation work, swimming in the Seine was banned for a century because of its pollution.

Pierre Rabadan, deputy mayor of Paris and responsible for the Olympic Games, called the clean-up operation at the time “our contribution to the future”.

“If people see athletes without health problems swimming in the Seine, they will have more confidence in swimming in the Seine again,” he said.