Summer Olympics 2016: Who Won Social Gold

At a glance Explore the social winners of Summer Olympics 2016. From top athletes to trending hashtags, discover who outshone the rest in the online space!

While the USA, Great Britain and China may have walked away with the most medals from their performances, the conversation online around the Summer Olympics focused on the individual winners. Many of the top athletes and hashtags were official markers of the conversation, like @Olympics, but some standouts included first-time medal winners, like India’s P. V. Sindhu. Sindhu charted history with the feat, as she is the youngest and first woman to garner an Olympic Silver medal representing India. While the major peaks in conversation centered around swimming events, Athletics was a major topic. With 51 events throughout the games, viewers had a breadth of opportunities with which to contribute to the dialogue. There was a clear lead with sponsors of the games, with GE dominating most of the conversation in those areas. One interesting note is the downward trend in overall conversation from the summer Olympics in 2012. With a focus on Rule 40, this may have factored in how much the topic was actually mentioned online and able to be tracked. See the social trends from throughout the competition below.

Nicky Yates Published on August 24, 2016 7:00 pm

Frequently Asked QuestionsFAQs

Who were the most talked about athletes on social media during the 2016 Olympics?

Individual winners dominated social media conversation more than medal-count leaders. Notable standouts included first-time medal winners like India's P. V. Sindhu, who became the youngest Indian woman to win an Olympic medal.

What was P. V. Sindhu's historic achievement at the 2016 Olympics?

P. V. Sindhu won India's first Olympic Silver medal by a woman and became the youngest Indian to achieve this feat. Her historic win made her one of the most talked-about athletes on social media during the games.

Which sports generated the most social media buzz at the 2016 Olympics?

Swimming events created the major peaks in online conversation during the games. Athletics was also a major topic of discussion, with 51 events giving viewers many opportunities to engage in social media dialogue.

Why was there less social media conversation about the 2016 Olympics compared to 2012?

There was a clear downward trend in overall Olympics conversation from 2012 to 2016. This decline may have been influenced by Rule 40, which likely affected how much Olympic content was mentioned online and could be tracked.