Missy Franklin is only 17 years old, but she is already set to compete for a gold medal. And you know what parents always say: If you’re old enough to compete in the Olympics, you’re old enough to get a tattoo. Okay, maybe they don’t say that, but Franklin is planning to do just that after the London Olympics end in August.
“I’m definitely going to get a tattoo,” she said while training for the Olympics according to NBC Olympics. “I’m going to get it after the Games.”
Since she’s not old enough to drink in London, Franklin has to do something wild. For those of you who are picturing a giant skull tattoo across the American swimmer’s back, take a deep deep breath. Missy said she intends to get some sort of Olympic-themed ink and that her parents have already approved the idea.
“My parents are fine with it,” she said. “I think they’re just as excited as I am.
“I’ve seen them on all the other athletes and it’s so cool. I’ve used it as my motivation because it’s the only tattoo I’m going to get.”
The location, she said, will be her right hip. That will come in handy if she needs to cover it up during a job interview, but it also means she won’t be able to use it as an advertising space like Nick Symmonds intended to. If she decides to include the word “Olympics,” here’s hoping the tattoo artist doesn’t make an epic mistake like the one we saw on that poor torchbearer’s arm.
