The Canadian speed skater stepped onto the Gangneung Oval during the 2018 Winter Olympics. Alexandra Ianculescu laced up her skates in Romania and trained in Canada and the Netherlands. But competing at the Olympics requires more than just hard work and talent.
Alexandra Ianculescu’s Odd Choice of Hustle
Big Brain Thinking: Alexandra Ianculescu Is Using OnlyFans To Help Fund Her Attempt To Make The 2024 Summer Olympics HTTPS://T.CO/FAGSOSH3HT PIC.TWITTER.COM/A3RDJNL5CU
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) APRIL 10, 2023
It also requires a lot of cash, and for many athletes, that’s not an easy task. While elite athletes may receive sponsorships and prize money, the majority of athletes don’t. They’re often on their own when it comes to funding their efforts.
For Ianculescu, that includes paying for training, travel, and equipment. That’s why she turned to OnlyFans, sparking a lot of attention and controversy. After a few months, Ianculescu started posting her bikini pictures for those who paid to subscribe.
Her move met heavy backlash, but she was unapologetic about it. Despite the controversy, she says that people are actually very understanding on the platform itself. She’s happy to be able to use it as a tool to support her Olympic goals.
Ianculescu says that she uses the money she earns from OnlyFans to cover everything. It pays enough to cover her rent, her cycling gear, and travel expenses. But she says that her favorite part of the experience is hearing from her subscribers.
Some of her subscribers turned out to be fellow athletes. They told her about their own journeys to the Olympics, and she says that they’re always encouraging and supportive. She’s also working on a line of cycling clothing to help her further monetize her business, and she plans to add more sports-related products in the future.
As for her future plans, Ianculescu hopes to compete in the 2024 Olympics—this time, on a bike instead of on skates. But she’s not going to let anything stand in her way, including the haters on social media that disapprove of her methods of self-funding.
