Vivianne Robinson, a 66-year-old superfan from Los Angeles, has dedicated her life to attending the Summer Olympics. Over the past 40 years, she has attended seven Games, including the current one in Paris. Robinson worked two jobs and maxed out her credit cards in order to afford the trip and the 38 event tickets she purchased. Despite the financial strain, Robinson believes that her passion for the Olympics is worth every penny.
Robinson’s fascination with the Olympics began when her mother worked as a translator for athletes during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Her mother would bring home pins from athletes, sparking Robinson’s hobby of collecting Olympic pins. This hobby eventually led her to Atlanta in 1996, where she traded rice necklaces for athlete pins. Since then, Robinson has traveled to Sydney, Athens, London, and Rio to attend the Games. While she was unable to attend Beijing in 2008 due to financial constraints, she purchased tickets for Tokyo in 2020 but was refunded when the Games were held without spectators due to COVID-19.
Robinson’s outfits have evolved over the years, becoming more elaborate and eye-catching. Her Paris outfit, which she spent a year working on, is adorned with hundreds of decorations, including Eiffel Tower ornaments, Olympic ring earrings, patches, pins, and flags. Everywhere Robinson goes, she attracts attention and is constantly stopped for photos. While she admits that it can be overwhelming at times, she enjoys the recognition and the opportunity to meet new people.
Despite the challenges she faces in affording her Olympic adventures, Robinson remains committed to attending future Games. She plans to continue working on elaborate outfits and saving up for event tickets, no matter the cost. Robinson sees attending the Olympics as a lifelong passion and is determined to make it a priority in her life. As the current Paris Games come to an end, Robinson is already looking forward to the next Olympics and the opportunity to immerse herself in the excitement and energy of the event.
