What Are The Small Towels Olympic Divers Carry?

Olympic divers have the exciting job of performing aerodynamic flips and tricks as they dive into the waters of the Olympic swimming pool. These aquatic athletes utilize strength, flexibility and air awareness as they plunge off springboards into the water below.

For spectators, diving is a pretty straightforward athletic event to watch. Still, there is one question that has long plagued Olympics viewers: “What are those little towels the divers use?” The short answer ⁠is that they’re called chamois towels, aqua towels or shammies, and they help Olympic divers stay dry as they compete.

The Function of Aqua Towels for Olympic Divers

Though the pool appears to be the main component of diving events, the water is the least important aspect of an Olympic diver’s performance. Their form and descent into the pool are the primary elements of a good dive. Contrary to what you might think, divers actually need to avoid getting wet in order to perform well in Olympic diving events. That’s where aqua towels come in. 

Form is an essential aspect of diving. When divers get cold, they can tense up during the descent, throwing off their form and ultimately causing them to perform poorly. Olympians use chamois towels to help them dry off, keeping them warm, supple and ready for their next performance.

Divers also need to stay dry to avoid making critical mistakes when diving. When divers are wet, they risk slipping and losing control during their descent. For example, if an Olympic diver is wet when they draw their knees to their chest in the “tuck” position, they can lose their grip and potentially endure a dangerous fall. For this reason, they use aqua towels to dry off their legs and hands between dives to reduce the risk of injury.

Olympic divers also use chamois towels as a part of their pre- and post-diving rituals. Some Olympians throw them into the water before making a dive, some twirl them around their fingers and some will even chew them. Either way, it’s clear that divers take comfort in their shammies.

The Advantages of Chamois Towels

Aqua towels work well for divers because of their primary drying functions, but also due to their many practical features and scientific properties. The versatility of these towels makes them great for serving the needs of divers as well as a variety of other users.

1. Fast-Drying and Absorbent

Regular towels have obvious drying qualities, but they take longer to dry themselves. Typical beach and bath towels retain water, which means they stay wet for a while.

Aqua towels, on the other hand, are incredibly fast-drying and absorbent. They are made from synthetic fibers that feel spongy and plastic-like in texture. These materials enable the cloth to soak up large amounts of liquid that can then be released with a good twist. With the water shed, the chamois fabric quickly dries and is ready for its next use.

2. Space-Saving

Regular towels can be bulky and difficult to pack away without taking up a lot of space. However, chamois towels are made of thinner fabrics and are smaller than regular towels, making them easier to fold and store for transportation. Keep your swim bag light and portable with an aqua towel before heading to your next meet.

Aqua towels are also great for travel. If you’re going on a trip that requires light packing, like a camping expedition, shammies are great alternatives to bath towels. 

3. Help Maintain Warmth

When you’re at a swim meet, it’s important to stay warm. As previously mentioned, divers tend to perform poorly when their muscles get cold and stiff. If you use a regular towel at an aquatic event, it will get wet and stay that way. From that point forward, you probably won’t be able to warm up when you try to dry off.

When you use an aqua towel before your regular towel, your body gets dry faster and more efficiently, keeping you warm throughout the day. This practice also helps keep your normal towel dryer longer, allowing you to utilize it more frequently without it retaining too much moisture.

Purchase Your Aqua Towel at Towel Super Center

If you want an Olympic-quality diving towel, you can find one at Towel Super Center. Our online store has the largest selection of wholesale towels online, available in a wide variety of colors and sizes. We have towels for gym use, golf courses, barbershops, spas, car washes and more. 

Browse our selection of towels today or contact us to request a free sample.    

 

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