Social media has helped swimmers around the world connect and communicate. They create and coordinate all sorts of things, both in the water and on dryland.
We will look at the various social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook) and find some of the biggest names – that are literally brands in the modern-day era of media and in the sport of open water swimming.
The initial Instagram list below is not conclusive or comprehensive. There are other swimmers on the Internet with large followings, but this list is limited to competitive or solo open water swimmers who compete or competed on the professional marathon swimming circuit, participate in winter or ice swimming communities, attempt channel crossings, or do extreme, adventure, or high-altitude swims of various sorts.
The Women: Social Influencers on Instagram
- @aysu.turkoglu: 210K followers of Aysu Türkoğlu from Turkey
- @anamarcela92: 206K followers of Ana Marcela Cunha from Brazil
- @lexiekellyswim: 171K followers of Lexie Kelly from the USA
- @barbarehlla_h: 153K followers of Bárbara Hernández Huerta from Chile
- @swimmerpsychologist: 110K followers of Deniz Kayadelen from Turkey
- @leoniebeckswim: 103K followers of Leonie Beck from Germany
- @diananyad: 103K followers of Diana Nyad from the USA
- @polianaokimoto: 80.1K followers of Poliana Okimoto from Brazil
- @swimplifly: 64.4K followers of Ildi Szekely from Hungary
- @svrouwendaal: 58.4K followers of Sharon van Rouwendaal from the Netherlands
- @pilargeijo: 52.9K followers of Pilar Geijo from Argentina
- @elinamae: 50.2K followers of Elina Makïnen from Finland
- @cecibiagioli: @45.4K followers of Cecilia Biagioli from Argentina
- @bengisuavcı: 41.1K followers of Bengisu Avcı from Turkey
- @kristelkobrich: 35.3K followers of Kristel Köbrich from Chile
- @_katie.grimes_: 30.7K followers of Katie Grimes from the USA
- @jaimie.monahan: 29K followers of Jaimie Monahan from the USA
- @swimhaley: 20.6K followers of Haley Anderson from the USA
- @laragrangeon: 17.3K followers of Lara Grangeon from France
- @carinabruwer: 14.9K followers of Carina Bruwer from South Africa
- @kerianne_payne: 13.7K followers of Keri-Anne Payne from Great Britain
- @csutswim: 13.7K followers of Chloe Sutton from the USA
- @aureliemullerofficial: 11.7K followers of Aurélie Muller from France
- @alicedearingx: 11.5K followers of Alice Dearing from Great Britain
- @annacska93: 10.9K followers of Anna Olasz from Hungary
- @oceane_cassignol: 10.9K followers of Oceane Cassignol from France
The Men: Social Influencers on Instagram
- @richroll: 1.3M followers of Rich Roll from the USA
- @rossedgley: 909K followers of Ross Edgley from Great Britain
- @greg_palt: 348K followers of Gregorio Paltrinieri from Italy
- @mounir_iceswim: 296K followers of Mounir Kariss from Morocco
- @noamyaron_: 281K followers of Noam Yaron of Switzerland
- @alexfongliksun: 267K followers of Alex Fong Lik-sun from Hong Kong
- @matias.ola: 145K followers of Matías Ola from Argentina
- @andy.swimming: 128K followers of Andy Donaldson from Scotland
- @peter.plavec: 102K followers of Peter Plavec from Slovakia
- @ousmellouli: 67.5K followers of Ous Mellouli from Tunisia
- @flo.swim: 61.9K followers of Florian Wellbrock from Germany
- @maartenvanderweijden: 33.5K followers of Maarten van der Weijden from the Netherlands
- @allandocarmo: 33.2K followers of Allan do Carmo from Brazil
- @lewis.pugh: 32.1 K followers of Lewis Pugh from South Africa
- @andreaswaschburger: 26K followers of Andreas Waschburger from Germany
- @marcosdiazrd: 19.2K followers of Marcos Díaz from the Dominican Republic
- @thevortexswim: 19.2K followers of Benoît Lecomte of France
- @veryferryfast: 17.7K followers of Ferry Weertman from the Netherlands
- @dome_ace: 16.5K followers of Domenico Acerenza from Italy
- @vitos_swimmer: 15.2K followers of Vitalii Kochnev from Russia
- @ky_hurst: 15.1K followers of Ky Hurst from Australia
- @adamskolnick: 15.1K followers of Adam Skolnick from the USA
- @neil.agius: 13.6K followers of Neil Agius from Malta
- @swimmeranton: 11.2K followers of Anton Janezich from the USA
- @renemtzs: 11K followers of Rene Martínez Saenz from Mexico
Who have we missed? Email munatones@kaatsu.com to suggest additional social influencers who are popular and have significant sway in the open water swimming community.
Popularity of Pool versus Open Water Swimmers
Open water swimmers around the world compare quite favorably relative to the American elite pool swimmers in terms of Instagram popularity. A list of the most popular elite swimmers compiled by SwimOutlet is below:
- @caelebdressel: 645k followers of Caeleb Dressel
- @katieledecky: 631k followers of Katie Ledecky
- @swimmermichael: 237k followers of Michael Andrew
- @ryan_f_murphy: 200k followers of Ryan Murphy
- @codymiller: 145k followers of Cody Miller
- @_king_lil:144k followers of Lily King
- @lydiaalicee: 119k followers of Lydia Jacoby
- @regansmith4: 106k followers of Regan Smith
- @alexwalsh4: 61.4k followers of Alex Walsh
- @kaatedouglass: 54.4k followers of Kate Douglass
- @robert_finke: 52.2k followers of Bobby Fink
- @emmaweyant: 48.3k followers of Emma Weyant
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