Olympians on Twitter/Instagram

[Jake_Taylor]

It looks like I may be in charge of monitoring social media during the Olympics and doing a daily roundup of interesting, colorful or newsworthy tweets, pics, etc.

So who should I follow? Anybody particularly interesting or funny or controversial? Any lesser known athletes?

 

[Songbird]

I covered Hannah Kearney in high school. I follow her FB page, and for the last 18 months the defending moguls gold medalist has taken followers on a journey inside her life leading up to Sochi. It's really provided a great look into the daily doings of an Olympian.

 

[JimmyHoward33]

Most of the US women's hockey team is on there and they all seem to be engaging, down to earth, etc. Good follows.

 

[Jake_Taylor]

Thanks guys. I looked up the US and Canadian hockey rosters and guys such as Ovechkin just about as soon as I got word I might be doing it. My wife's into snowboarding and figure skating so I knew quite a few names in those sports, but after that I'm fairly clueless about who is good or at least interesting.

 

[DocTalk]

Lanny Barnes was "given" her Olympic spot in biathlon by her twin sister, Tracy. The story will be forgotten once the Games start because of the minor nature of the sport. I've heard interviews from the sisters but not the parents, coaches or teammates.

 

[ringer]

I agree with the above. College-educated Olympians are the best! (i.e. Kearney, US hockey women)

Shaun White, Julia Mancuso, Bode Miller, Lolo Jones (if she makes the bobsled team), Johnny Weir for figure skating...probably Lindsey Vonn (in case she says anything of news value)

 

[PaperDoll]

Johnny Weir's an (openly gay) figure-skating commentator, not a competitor. Apolo Anton Ohno might be interesting too, but same situation for speed skating. Just in case only active athletes meet the criteria.

Almost all the team websites (accessible via www.teamusa.org) include the athletes' Twitter handles. A bunch more teams (including the aforementioned bobsled) will be finalized this weekend. I'm not sure if the USOC will include them in their spreadsheet, which is supposed to be released after the final team is named (Alpine skiing on Jan. 26).

My only local athlete is a Paralympian, but her Twitter feed is way more entertaining than the average 17-year-old's.

 

[Songbird]

Here's a shot Hannah Kearney just posted on FB: "Look who I bumped into at the ring station at Team USA processing in Munich."

Nice shiner, Shawn.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=625445197509161&set=a.135935756460110.30814.134266563293696&type=1&theater

 

[Football_Bat]

I gave a couple of local Winter Olympians a shout-out on Twitter and the rat bastards didn't even give me a favorite. Screw 'em.

 

[Pencil Dick]

Definitely Lolo on Twitter. If only for the photos.

 

[Songbird]

Twitter has a Sochi list. https://twitter.com/TwitterSports/sochi-2014