Sweat Like a Champion: 5 Famous Athletes Who Love Saunas

Gold medals. World records. Championship trophies.

The world’s greatest athletes know a thing or two about working up a sweat.

But some of them aren’t satisfied with sweating on the field, track or slopes.

They head straight for the sauna.

Apparently, winning isn’t the only thing they like hot.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo — 2 AM? Time for a Sauna.

The Man Who Never Clocks Off

Cristiano Ronaldo is famous for his dedication to football.

But according to former Portugal teammate José Fonte, Ronaldo once had the squad taking ice baths and saunas at 2 AM.

Yes. Two in the morning.

While the rest of us might be looking for a pillow, Ronaldo was apparently looking for a sauna bench.

He has also shown fans his impressive home spa, complete with a sauna and hot tub.

Some footballers go clubbing after a match. Ronaldo goes sweating.

2. Kenny Bednarek — Fast on the Track. Hot in the Sauna.

The Sprinter Who Likes to Slow Down

American Olympic sprinter Kenny Bednarek spends his professional life trying to shave fractions of a second off his race times.

But when it comes to his sauna, he’s happy to take things a little slower.

In a 2026 interview, Bednarek described his traditional home sauna and a routine alternating ten minutes of heat with four or five minutes in cold water.

He sometimes repeats the sequence three times.

On the track, every second counts.

In the sauna, apparently, he’s got time to spare.

3. Paavo Nurmi — The Original Finnish Hot Shot

The Flying Finn Who Brought the Heat

Long before modern sports celebrities were posting sauna selfies, Finnish running legend Paavo Nurmi was helping put sauna culture on the international sporting map.

At the 1924 Paris Olympics, Nurmi won an astonishing five gold medals.

The legendary runner spoke about his familiarity with Finnish sauna heat and how it helped him feel comfortable competing in hot conditions.

Nearly a century before Instagram, Nurmi was already making the sauna famous.

Five gold medals. Zero sauna selfies.

4. Mari Eder — Seven Saunas. One Family.

The Woman Who Grew Up in the Heat

Finnish biathlete and cross-country skier Mari Eder didn’t have to discover sauna culture.

She was born into it.

Her family has had as many as seven different saunas, including a traditional smoke sauna.

Seven.

That’s not a home wellness setup. That’s practically a sauna village.

For Mari, sauna time has been part of family life since childhood.

Some families collect fridge magnets. This family collects saunas.

5. Susan Külm — Born to Ski. Raised to Sauna.

The Olympian Who Earned the Top Bench

Estonian Olympic biathlete Susan Külm has been visiting traditional saunas since she was around four or five years old.

Her earliest memories include family sauna sessions at her grandfather’s countryside home.

As a little girl, she sat on the lower bench, where the heat was gentler.

As she grew older, she worked her way up to the hotter top bench.

For Susan, sauna isn’t simply something to do after sport.

It’s part of growing up.

Forget climbing the corporate ladder. Susan climbed the sauna benches.

You Don’t Need a Gold Medal to Join the Club.

From Ronaldo’s late-night sauna sessions to Mari Eder’s seven-sauna family, these athletes have some extraordinary stories.

But here’s the good news.

You don’t need to be an Olympic champion, a football superstar or a world-class sprinter to enjoy a sauna.

At The Ice Bath Club, our social saunas are for everyone.

Come for the heat, enjoy the company and take a refreshing dip in the ice bath whenever you’re ready.