'Glam helps mentality' says sprinter Amy Hunt, but can it give you that winning edge?

They say practice makes perfect, but for some athletes that means more than just training to be as fast as possible.

For many, it's also about what you wear or how you accessorise with things like jewellery.

So can getting glammed up help your performance?

British sprinter Amy Hunt certainly thinks so, and it seems to be working as she's now secured two gold medals at the European Athletics Championships.

The 24-year-old, who's gunning for a historic quadruple win at the event this week, told BBC Newsbeat "the glam definitely helps that mentality because sprinting is such a confidence game".

"Everyone knows I love a bit of glam and I love my nails."

The Midlands-born athlete has curated her nail art to reference landmarks within Birmingham, where the competition is being held, including nods to the Jewellery Quarter and the Bull Ring, external.

Hunt says "looking good and feeling good" is all part of her process to get into the right mindset, and likens walking out on to the track to a gladiator entering an arena.

"It's a show at the end of the day," she says.

Fellow athletes, including Olympic champions Keely Hodgkinson and the United States' Sha'Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles, are among those who have also become known for their statement nail art on the field, but it's by no means a new practice.

US Olympic champion track star Florence Griffith Joyner, known as Flo-Jo, is often regarded as a pioneer of competing with long, vibrant nails back in the 1980s.

London-based nail artist Jess Young believes designing your nails can be an added way to help people feel "comfortable and confident" in themselves.

But she thinks it also allows self-expression to shine through.

"Within a team everyone has to wear the same kit, but I think what's so special about getting your nails done is that you can be a lot more individual with it," the 28-year-old says.

"Because you can do whatever you want on your nails, it doesn't have to be so ruled in terms of having a certain uniform.

"I think that allows athletes to have a little bit more self-liberation."

She also feels it allows people to take a moment for themselves, which she says can be "very therapeutic".

"Athletes have such a busy lifestyle, to be able to take that time to pamper and take care of themselves, I think that also adds to feeling good in your body and feeling confident," she says.

Showcasing personality in sport through nail design is by no means limited to athletics, with competitors ranging from gymnasts to footballers getting into the salon.

Young, who collaborated with Nike and English footballer Ella Toone on a nail project, thinks we're "in a time where we're bridging the gap between sports and fashion".

"I think nails are just an extension of fashion, your sportswear or how you want to present yourself to the world when you are performing, because essentially being an athlete you are also a performer and you're on stage," she adds.

This approach also goes far beyond nails, with jewellery, hairstyles and outfits being used by sports stars, and beyond, in the hope of enhancing their performances.

Hunt was among those to embrace this as well as she swapped out her silver earrings for gold at the European Championships, and wore a tiara after winning her 200m gold on Thursday evening.

Former British sprinter Adam Gemili tells Newsbeat that "feeling good" about yourself can give you that necessary extra lift when competing, and says men often opt for a "good trim".

"When you're performing, any 1% you can get, any confidence you can get, it makes a big difference," he says.

Hannah East, a sports psychologist in training who works with athletes to help improve their performance, agrees these things can help, buts says it's more of an "indirect link".

"If you have a good appearance, you might feel more confident, you might feel more like yourself, more comfortable," she says.

"And that can lead to a change in emotion, a change in your behaviour, maybe your self-esteem, and those psychological states are what we then see increasing your performance."

Brands have long been associated with this approach, with many collaborating with athletes and stars from other sports.

East says the monetisation of aesthetics within sports is "definitely a factor to consider" and thinks its "really crucial" to consider this "might play a role in reinforcing and creating that idea that we need to look a certain way if we're going to compete".

"I think athletes need to be remembering it needs to be something that works for them," the 24-year-old says.

"What might work for one person isn't going to work for someone else.

"So just making sure that you're really clear on what works for you."