Carlin Isles’s best-known tattoos sit across his chest and arms. He told NBC Olympics why he chose FOCUS and what the lion beneath it means; NBC also documented a track spike, religious imagery and a relationship tattoo on his arms.
Carlin Isles’s FOCUS chest tattoo
FOCUS spans the center of Isles’s chest above the lion. In NBC’s white-background portrait, the large lettering is the first thing in view.
Isles told NBC Olympics he chose the word as he was going into college. He had seen people lose focus, drift from their goals and watch their dreams slip away; the tattoo was a reminder of that risk.
A darker Washington Post portrait shows FOCUS alongside the lion and both arms, placing the lettering within a wider view of his collection.
The lion beneath FOCUS
The lion sits directly below FOCUS. NBC’s photographs show it as a shaded portrait, with the face and mane darker than the surrounding skin.
Isles linked the lion to Eye of the Tiger and to the hunger and tenacity he said he needed to keep pursuing a goal.
The arm symbols and crown
NBC identifies a track spike with a crown among the arm tattoos. The spike recalls Isles’s years as a sprinter.
The Washington Post, World Rugby and Team USA describe Isles’s move from sprinting to rugby. The Washington Post also notes that his acceleration became part of his reputation.
The photos show separate motifs across the shoulder and upper arm, with gaps between them. The ink isn’t one uninterrupted sleeve.
The faith lettering and the J with a heart
NBC lists an image of Jesus and the word FAITH among Isles’s arm tattoos.
A separate cross carries the words “Only the strong survive.” The phrase is readable in the design; the coverage records it as part of his collection.
NBC also records a J with a heart for his girlfriend, a personal reference beside the religious and motivational designs.
Carlin Isles’s upper-body tattoo composition
The white NBC studio photo makes the tattoo edges easy to see. A darker Washington Post portrait shows more of his chest and arms, while The National’s rugby image puts the ink in a sports setting.
FOCUS and the lion sit at the center of the chest; smaller pieces spread across the shoulders and arms. The designs are unevenly placed rather than mirrored.
The language of the collection
Some meanings come from reading the ink; others rely on Isles’s comments. FOCUS, FAITH and the cross phrase are legible, while his explanation identifies the J with a heart as a reference to his girlfriend.
What the photographs establish
The photos show the chest pieces and several arm tattoos from different angles, but don’t provide a full count of every mark. The video below, Training With USA Rugby 7s & Carlin Isles, shows Isles in a rugby setting.