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
- @anamarcela92: 225K followers of Ana Marcela Cunha of Brazil
- @aysu.turkoglu: 209K followers of Aysu Türkoğlu of Turkey
- @lexiekellyswim: 176K followers of Lexie Kelly of the USA [shown above on right]
- @barbarehlla_h: 161K followers of Bárbara Hernández Huerta of Chile [shown above on left]
- @swimmerpsychologist: 128K followers of Deniz Kayadelen of Turkey
- @pohlnathalie: 118K followers of Nathalie Pohl of Germany
- @leoniebeckswim: 114K followers of Leonie Beck of Germany
- @diananyad: 105K followers of Diana Nyad of the USA
- @polianaokimoto: 84.1K followers of Poliana Okimoto of Brazil
- @swimplifly: 69K followers of Ildi Szekely of Hungary
- @svrouwendaal: 68.9K followers of Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands
- @suchetadebburman: 67.8K followers of Sucheta Deb Burman of India
- @pilargeijo: 66.2K followers of Pilar Geijo of Argentina
- @_katie.grimes_: 50.4K followers of Katie Grimes of the USA
- @elinamae: 49.1K followers of Elina Makïnen of Finland
- @auramove.nz: 48.5K followers of Laura Quilter of New Zealand
- @cecibiagioli: @45.3K followers of Cecilia Biagioli of Argentina
- @bengisuavcı: 43.9K followers of Bengisu Avcı of Turkey
- @kristelkobrich: 37.4K followers of Kristel Köbrich of Chile
- @jaimie.monahan: 29.1K followers of Jaimie Monahan of the USA
- @marielhawley: 25.5K followers of Mariel Hawley of Mexico
- @ailenlascanomicaz: 23.3K followers of Ailen Lascano Micaz of Argentina
- @swimhaley: 20.3K followers of Haley Anderson of the USA
- @mariamsalehbinladen: 19.7K followers of Mariam Saleh Bin Laden of Saudi Arabia
- @laragrangeon: 17.1K followers of Lara Grangeon of France
- @elmahdy_randa: 16.9K followers of Randa Elmahdy Said of Egypt
- @carinabruwer: 14.5K followers of Carina Bruwer of South Africa
- @kerianne_payne: 13.8K followers of Keri-Anne Payne of Great Britain
- @csutswim: 13.6K followers of Chloe Sutton of the USA
- @aureliemullerofficial: 11.7K followers of Aurélie Muller of France
- @vivijungblut: 11.7K followers of Viviane Jungblut of Brazil
- @alicedearingx: 11.6K followers of Alice Dearing of Great Britain
- @oceane_cassignol: 11.3K followers of Oceane Cassignol of France
- @annacska93: 11K followers of Anna Olasz of Hungary
The Men: Social Influencers on Instagram
- @richroll: 1.3M followers of Rich Roll of the USA
- @rossedgley: 983K followers of Ross Edgley of Great Britain
- @greg_palt: 443K followers of Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy [shown above on right]
- @noamyaron_: 397K followers of Noam Yaron of Switzerland
- @mounir_iceswim: 415K followers of Mounir Kariss of Morocco
- @alexfongliksun: 275K followers of Alex Fong Lik-sun of Hong Kong [shown above on left]
- @swimuphill: 258K followers of Jamal Hill of the USA
- @adamoceanwalker: 196K followers of Adam Walker of Great Britain
- @andy.swimming: 165K followers of Andy Donaldson of Scotland
- @matias.ola: 146K followers of Matías Ola of Argentina
- @peter.plavec: 102K followers of Peter Plavec of Slovakia
- @daniel.wiffen: 95.9K followers of Daniel Wiffen of Ireland
- @hhskmedia: 69.1K followers of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain
- @ousmellouli: 66.3K followers of Ous Mellouli of Tunisia
- @flo.swim: 63.8K followers of Florian Wellbrock of Germany
- @kuzeytuncelli: 61.5K followers of Kuzey Tunçelli of Turkey
- @henrikchristians1: 43.2K followers of Henrik Christiansen of Norway
- @lewis.pugh: 34K followers of Lewis Pugh of South Africa
- @maartenvanderweijden: 33.5K followers of Maarten van der Weijden of the Netherlands
- @allandocarmo: 33.3K followers of Allan do Carmo of Brazil
- @hassan.baraka: 30K followers of Hassan Baraka of Morocco
- @alainsimac: 26.7K followers of Alain Simac of France
- @andreaswaschburger: 26.1K followers of Andreas Waschburger of Germany
- @steve_stievenart: 23K followers of Stève Stievenart of France
- @neil.agius: 22.7K followers of Neil Agius of Malta
- @marcosdiazrd: 19.7K followers of Marcos Díaz of the Dominican Republic
- @thevortexswim: 19K followers of Benoît Lecomte of France
- @veryferryfast: 17.9K followers of Ferry Weertman of the Netherlands
- @dome_ace: 18K followers of Domenico Acerenza of Italy
- @swimmeranton: 15.9K followers of Anton Janezich of the USA
- @adamskolnick: 15.1K followers of Adam Skolnick of the USA
- @ky_hurst: 15K followers of Ky Hurst of Australia
- @hectorpardoe: 13.8K followers of Hector Pardoe of Great Britain
- @_ronanfahey: 13.1K followers of Ronan Fahey of Ireland
- @olli.kle: 13.2K followers of Oliver Klemet of Germany
- @vitos_swimmer: 12.5K followers of Vitalii Kochnev of Russia
- @renemtzs: 11K followers of Rene Martínez Saenz of 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
© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“
A World Open Water Swimming Federation project.