While Olympic spectators wait with bated breath to see how different events at the Paris Games unfold, the chronically online audience has become invested in a different journey: a Norwegian Olympian's love for chocolate muffins.
Swimmer Henrik Christiansen, 27, has not yet won any medals, but he has won the hearts of many after he posted a series of TikTok videos showcasing his love of the bakery at the Olympic Village — well, of one bakery good in particular.
He has posted at least nine videos about the muffins over five days, amassing millions of views. It began with an Olympic Village food review, in which he rated the "choccy muffin" an 11 out of 10.
Then he posted a follow-up offering people a close-up of the muffin to the tune "What You Won't Do for Love" by Bobby Caldwell.
"The single greatest thing about the Olympic Village so far," Christiansen wrote in the caption.
He then posted another video that used a popular sound bite from the movie "Shrek" in which the gingerbread man asks, "Do you know the muffin man?" In the caption, Christiansen declared himself the "Olympic muffin man. "
Christiansen's dedication to the rich, gooey muffin has captured the attention of millions. Another video got roughly 30,000 views within 20 minutes of his posting it to TikTok on Tuesday.
The comment sections of the videos show he has garnered an entirely new fan base.
"the only Olympic village love story that matters," a user wrote on TikTok.
Another person wrote, "i am simply rooting for norway now because of the muffin man and i am not upset about it."
The obsession managed to cross social media platforms, as users on X were also discussing the "Olympic muffin man."
One person posted that they were sad to know they'll never get a chance to eat the chocolate treat. Another X user described the series of videos as the "most unexpected yet entertaining thing to have come from the olympics this year."
"what is the funniest thing to come out of the olympics and why is it that team norway athlete who has now dedicated his entire life to the olympic village chocolate muffin," an X user wrote.
Christiansen, who made his Olympic debut in Rio in 2016, is scheduled to compete in the men's 10-kilometer marathon swimming event, as well as the men's 1,500-meter freestyle. He already swam in the 800-meter freestyle heats Monday, when he ranked 25th overall.