Fans of the 2012 Olympics have enjoyed watching both Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte in the water this summer. The two have a friendly rivalry in the water, and now it seems there's another competition heating up between the two in social media. The two are both quite active on Twitter, and Saturday Swim Swam notes that Phelps is the first swimmer to pass the 1,000,000 follower mark. Lochte, however, is no slouch and isn't too far behind.
According to Braden Keith at Swim Swam, Michael Phelps is not only the most decorated Olympian ever, he's also the swimmer that is the first to hit the 1,000,000 mark with Twitter followers. As of this writing he sits at 1,037,846 followers on Twitter and he's climbing steadily every day. Swim Swam notes that In April of 2011 he only had 24,000 followers, so he is clearly a phenom both inside and outside the pool.
Ryan Lochte has been a hot commodity throughout these 2012 Olympics, and he's hot on Twitteras well. He's at nearly 800,000 followers, and of course his numbers are steadily rising as well. With plenty of races ahead of him yet in his career, that number will surely continue to climb.
As for the women, Dana Torres leads the pack at 282,000 despite not making the 2012 Olympic Team, but phenom Missy Franklin will likely be passing her soon given her performances in these games. Franklin currently sits at just over 270,000 followers. Internationally, Cesar Cielo of Brazil is the next closest behind the American swimmers with approximately 200,000 followers.
These 2012 Olympics have been affected by social media like no other games previously. Many people have been frustrated by the big events being spoiled on Twitter and various websites, given the time delays between the live events and the NBC coverage. At the same time, social media has provided a way for fans to connect with their favorite athletes like never before. Top athletes like Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin can receive instant congratulations from fans and celebrities alike, and share updates instantly with their followers.
Michael Phelps has said he is retiring after these games, and he hopes to help grow the sport of swimming. Many will be interested to see if he uses the power of social media and his gargantuan following to make that happen. For now, it's certainly a fun way for fans to feel as if they are a part of these historic 2012 Olympics right alongside him.
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