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Watch: athletes test out the famous cardboard beds at the Tokyo Olympic Village

Tokyo 2020 Olympians are putting the beds through their paces on TikTok – and they seem pretty sturdy, mostly

Youka Nagase
Written by
Youka Nagase
Former editorial assistant at Time Out Tokyo
Olympic Village bed
Photo: ©Tokyo 2020The cardboard beds at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Village
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Since the start of the Tokyo Olympics, athletes from around the world have taken to social media to report their experiences inside the Olympic Village bubble. The dining halls received rave reviews by the Olympians for their extensive and delectable selection, including a claim that the 24-hour 'food courts' serve the 'best gyoza dumplings in the world'.

We’ve also seen plenty of discussion about the Olympic Village’s fully sustainable cardboard beds. Rumours began circulating before the start of the Games, saying that the beds were 'anti-sex', ie designed to be flimsy to discourage close contact between athletes. 

Now that the athletes are all settled in, several of them have tested out the beds on TikTok to prove they are, in fact, sturdy – in fact, the frames are apparently designed to be stronger than wooden bed frames. However, the cardboard frames aren’t indestructible either – it seems a few athletes have already broken their beds.

Swimmer Angel Martinez from Mexico gives a thumbs up after diving right onto the bed.

@kelseymarierobinson

Reply to @adriana.kms cardboard beds… let’s talk about it. @jtomm19 @michellehackley #fypシ #volleyball #olympics #tokyo2020 #teamusa

♬ original sound - Kelsey Robinson

The US women's volleyball team put one bed through its paces by jumping on it from different angles.

Meanwhile, the US women’s rugby team demonstrate that the beds are durable enough to support yoga, push-ups and even a toddler-style tantrum.

@melissapaigewu

The Olympic beds are awesome! They’re made out of cardboard so they’re environmentally friendly 👌♻️ #Tokyo2020 #OlympicSpirit #TokyoTogether

♬ FEEL THE GROOVE - Queens Road, Fabian Graetz

Australian diver Melissa Wu confirms that the entire frame is made out of cardboard and is supposedly stronger than wood.

@lewis_clareburt

@aligalyer did sleep last night because her bed was in 3 different parts 😂 #olympics #tokyo #tokyoolympics #nz

♬ original sound - Lewis Clareburt ⚡️

The frame may be durable, but swimmer Ali Galyer from New Zealand struggles with her three-part foam bed base.

@samfrickerr

Broken bed ! Will there be more ? Haha #meme #funny #cardboardbed

♬ Spongebob - Dante9k

The beds can’t withstand everything. Australian diver Sam Fricker spots a broken bed being carried out by staff.

His roommate also ends up breaking a bed after standing on it.

It seems the New Zealand Olympic team are also struggling to keep their beds intact.

Keep up-to-date with our guide to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

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