Much has been made about the robustness of the Olympic Village’s cardboard beds but one didn’t prove up to the test for top Japanese gymnast Shinnosuke Oka.
Oka, who produced a strong performance on the first day of the Paris Games in the men’s qualification on Saturday, said a “water leak” from the bath had caused damage to the cardboard frame of his bed, forcing him to seek a swap.
“The cardboard sort of collapsed because of a water leak, from, er, bathwater,” the 20-year-old first-time Olympian said coyly, with an embarrassed smile.
Oka said he noticed himself sinking gradually on the bed as he slept, and then realized that the frame was warped.
“It kind of messed up my back. Not enough to affect my performance or anything but I thought, ‘I probably don’t want to sleep this way for the rest of the time.'”
The cardboard bed frame was introduced at the Tokyo Games for sustainability reasons — a central theme for Paris organizers. The mattresses are made of the same material used in fishing nets and are made by the Japanese brand Airweave.
All the bedding from the Olympic Village is set to be donated to the French Army, the Paris Opera Ballet School and other local organizations after the Games.