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Slideshow: Here are 50 essential Twitter accounts to follow ahead of the Olympics

See which Irish stars made the cut, as we recommend the most interesting and informative London 2012-related tweeters.

22/07/12 22,058 Views 14 Comments

Slideshow: Here are 50 essential Twitter accounts to follow ahead of the Olympics
1 / 50

  • Usain Bolt

    Bolt provides plenty of insight into his preparations and has a sense of humour to boot. He's also "the most naturally gifted athlete the world has ever seen" apparently, if his profile is to be believed.

  • Brian Moore

    Although Moore is mainly know as an ex-rugby player/pundit, he has not been shy in tweeting about the Olympics. What makes him standout is his forthright attitude - he's always entertaining, irrespective of whether you agree with what he says or not. Just don't get on his bad side - he won't be afraid of letting you know about it.

  • Sonia O'Sullivan

    Who better to analyse the Olympics than one of Ireland's most successful athletes ever? She could even get away with relentlessly banal updates on account of her legendary status, but her tweets are anything but.

  • Martyn Zielger

    Press Association's Chief Reporter, Ziegler provides plenty of informative tweets and is often one of the first to break big stories - the epitome of an essential follow if ever there was one.

  • Ciaran o Lionaird

    Unlike many athletes, he is willing to tweet about stuff other than the Olympics, and engages in much light-hearted banter to boot.

  • Rory Smith

    While Smith may primarily cover football, what he lacks in knowledge of other sports, he makes up for in wit. Follow him if you want to view the Games from a relaxed, fun perspective.

  • Nicholas Roche

    Roche gives some interesting thoughts about life on the road and is never afraid to criticise himself or others. If a fellow cyclist upsets him in anyway, he is bound to let Twitter know about it.

  • Michael Phelps

    Irrespective of how he performs, Phelps is likely to be one of the big stories of this Olympics. His tweets are thus likely to make fascinating reading. Also, he has a great taste in TV shows (see above).

  • Bernard Dunne

    Katie Taylor may not be on Twitter, but Bernard Dunne - as much of an authority on Irish boxing as anyone - most certainly is, and is likely to have some intriguing observations on Taylor and her colleagues.

  • Melanie Nocher

    While some of the more famous Olympians, such as Usain Bolt, may at times seem a little too big for their boots, others, such as Melanie Nocher, are refreshingly down to earth.

  • Ross O'Carroll Kelly

    If it's authority on a particular sport that you're interested in, look elsewhere, but for sheer hilarity, follow Ross O'Carroll Kelly.

  • Ailis McSweeney

    Another Irish athlete who seems refreshingly normal and a million miles away from some of the prima donna-like American athletes. Reward her humility with a follow.

  • Serena Williams

    The odds-on favourite to take the women's title, Serena is also a prolific tweeter. And unlike many high-profile athletes who tend to seem very guarded with their comments, she seems willing to tweet anything and everything that comes into her head.

  • LeBron James

    The US basketball player is good to follow for random bursts of excitement, among other things.

  • Hope Solo

    The American goalkeeper is one of the most famous female footballers in the world, but has a long way to go when it comes to neighbourly etiquette.

  • Wallace Spearmon

    Officially the seventh fastest runner of all-time, Spearmon also solidified his status as the most meta tweeter out there with the above effort.

  • Yohan Blake

    The Jamaican sprinter and current world champion over 100m makes plenty of revealing insights, such as those revolving around his unusual diet.

  • Kieran Cunningham

    The Irish journalist has plenty of interesting facts about the Olympics, with a clear and comprehensive knowledge on a range of sports.

  • Paul Hession

    Hession who, as his profile notes, is the Irish record holder over 60m, 100m and 200m, also once underestimated the importance of necks. Moreover, he tweets about running a lot, understandably.

  • Colin Griffin

    When he's not making observations about the weather, Colin Griffin is usually discussing preparations for that most unique of Olympic sports - walking.

  • Lolo Jones

    Not all athletes with such immense talent and dedication to their sport are supremely dull in real life, as Lolo Jones' Twitter account demonstrates.

  • Grant Wahl

    The senior writer for Sports Illustrated, Grant Wahl has accrued thousands upon thousands of followers for a reason, namely his considerable footballing knowledge.

  • Tyson Gay

    Tyson Gay's constant retweeting of compliments makes his Twitter account necessary to follow for the cringeworthy factor that somehow makes it simultaneously compelling. Plus, he might retweet you.

  • Ryan Lochte

    Some people accuse top athletes of being humourless bores, but US swimmer Ryan Lochte is the exact opposite.

  • Kevin Durant

    US basketball player Kevin Durant is also prone to the odd philosophical musing, which makes him unique among athletes, if anything else.

  • Chris Paul

    If you're looking for someone who lives, breathes and sleeps basketball, US star Chris Paul is your man.

  • Justin Gatlin

    The 100m Olympic Gold Medalist is really just a Tebow wannabe at heart (aren't we all).

  • Stephanie Rice

    The Australian Olympic athlete has been known to tweet the occasional controversial photo. She's also a Triple Olympic Champion and World Record holder by the way, if that's of any interest? No? I thought not.

  • Chloe Magee

    Chloe Magee represents Ireland at badminton. She also does that adorable 'wtf is this Twitter thing' shtick, which all recent converts to the site tend to demonstrate. Follow her, if only so you can explain how the whole thing works.

  • Dan Martin

    Arguably Ireland's second most famous professional cyclist, Martin is never boring in his assessment of his own performances, as well as other matters pertaining to his sport/cultural differences between the French and everyone else.

  • Paul McDermott

    McDermott, who works at the Irish Sports Council, is clearly a sports fanatic judging by his account, and so like-minded people should obviously drop everything and follow him immediately.

  • Sycerika McMahon

    Whether you're a lover of CSI, swimming or sport in general, Sycerika McMahon is clearly worth a follow. Not only is she far more freakishly talented than anyone has the right to be at 17, she also seems like a genuinely lovely and fun person, judging by her account.

  • Jonathan Liew

    If there's one sports journalist to follow over the course of the Olympics (apart from those associated with TheScore.ie who I wholeheartedly endorse obviously), make it Jonathan Liew. As a result, you will be guaranteed a minimum of one laugh per day.

  • London 2012

    While recommending such a corporate, official account may seem naff to some, 865,056 people (and counting) would beg to differ. And with good reason, given the quality of the tweets.

  • Irish Sports Council

    Any avid follower of Irish sport need look no further for reliable, up-to-date and consistently illuminating knowledge regarding the Olympics.

  • Come on Ireland

    An account 'run by fans for fans,' this is an excellent source providing an impassioned and prolific presentation of news and analysis that's both Irish and Olympic-related. In addition, it's a refreshing alternative to the dozens of relentlessly dry and uninteresting official sites for the Games.

  • Steve Wilson

    Steve Wilson's status as an authority on the Olympic Games is unquestionable. The AP reporter has been covering the Games for 20 years, and his tweets consequently carry an air of authority on the subject.

  • Darren O'Neill

    Not all boxers are inarticulate halfwits a la Rocky. Darren O'Neill disproves that stereotype. Pity his football skills aren't up to scratch however (see above).

  • John Joe Nevin

    Not many people are both world class boxers and massive One Direction fans, but John Joe Nevin is clearly a unique guy.

  • Natalya Coyle

    Will Ireland's modern pentathlon representative be able to succeed in containing her child-like excitement before the Olympics begin? Follow her on Twitter to discover the outcome of this gripping saga.

  • Matthew Mitcham

    One of the few openly-gay athletes at the Olympics, the 2008 gold medal winner is also one of the most hilarious athletes/people on Twitter, having an agreeable tendency to mock his fellow competitors.

  • Caroline Wozniacki

    Follow Caroline Wozniacki to find out if the Olympics proves enough of a distraction to stop her obsessing over boyfriend Rory McIlroy. I wouldn't bet on it.

  • Jordan Burroughs

    The above pun is surely enough of a reason on its own to follow the American wrestler.

  • Asafa Powell

    Observing the Jamaican sprinter's narcissism (even by Twitter standards) is oddly fascinating, as he does virtually nothing other than tweet photos of himself and his adventures.

  • Rebecca Adlington

    Please follow the British swimmer. She desperately needs the encouragement. She's been up since 5.12am.

  • Oscar Pistorius

    Oscar Pistorius is a an eccentric guy who tends to tweet the most random thoughts that come into his head. In other words, he's made for Twitter.

  • Tom Daley

    If it's diving/anecdotes about crazy mums that you're into, then get following Tom Daley, pronto.

  • Jessica Ennis

    The former European and world heptathlon champion is ultimately just a normal, sleep-deprived regular Joe deep down, which makes her all the more appealing to follow naturally.

  • Kevin Love

    US basketball star Kevin Love is incredibly talented at what he does, and more impressively still, he's ostensibly immune to vanity.

  • TheScore

    We just couldn't resist...
  • Bolt provides plenty of insight into his preparations and has a sense of humour to boot. He's also
  • Although Moore is mainly know as an ex-rugby player/pundit, he has not been shy in tweeting about the Olympics. What makes him standout is his forthright attitude - he's always entertaining, irrespective of whether you agree with what he says or not. Just don't get on his bad side - he won't be afraid of letting you know about it.
  • Who better to analyse the Olympics than one of Ireland's most successful athletes ever? She could even get away with relentlessly banal updates on account of her legendary status, but her tweets are anything but.
  • Press Association's Chief Reporter, Ziegler provides plenty of informative tweets and is often one of the first to break big stories - the epitome of an essential follow if ever there was one.
  • Unlike many athletes, he is willing to tweet about stuff other than the Olympics, and engages in much light-hearted banter to boot.
  • While Smith may primarily cover football, what he lacks in knowledge of other sports, he makes up for in wit. Follow him if you want to view the Games from a relaxed, fun perspective.
  • Roche gives some interesting thoughts about life on the road and is never afraid to criticise himself or others. If a fellow cyclist upsets him in anyway, he is bound to let Twitter know about it.
  • Irrespective of how he performs, Phelps is likely to be one of the big stories of this Olympics. His tweets are thus likely to make fascinating reading. Also, he has a great taste in TV shows (see above).
  • Katie Taylor may not be on Twitter, but Bernard Dunne - as much of an authority on Irish boxing as anyone - most certainly is, and is likely to have some intriguing observations on Taylor and her colleagues.
  • While some of the more famous Olympians, such as Usain Bolt, may at times seem a little too big for their boots, others, such as Melanie Nocher, are refreshingly down to earth.
  • If it's authority on a particular sport that you're interested in, look elsewhere, but for sheer hilarity, follow Ross O'Carroll Kelly.
  • Another Irish athlete who seems refreshingly normal and a million miles away from some of the prima donna-like American athletes. Reward her humility with a follow.
  • The odds-on favourite to take the women's title, Serena is also a prolific tweeter. And unlike many high-profile athletes who tend to seem very guarded with their comments, she seems willing to tweet anything and everything that comes into her head.
  • The US basketball player is good to follow for random bursts of excitement, among other things.
  • The American goalkeeper is one of the most famous female footballers in the world, but has a long way to go when it comes to neighbourly etiquette.
  • Officially the seventh fastest runner of all-time, Spearmon also solidified his status as the most meta tweeter out there with the above effort.
  • The Jamaican sprinter and current world champion over 100m makes plenty of revealing insights, such as those revolving around his unusual diet.
  • The Irish journalist has plenty of interesting facts about the Olympics, with a clear and comprehensive knowledge on a range of sports.
  • Hession who, as his profile notes, is the Irish record holder over 60m, 100m and 200m, also once underestimated the importance of necks. Moreover, he tweets about running a lot, understandably.
  • When he's not making observations about the weather, Colin Griffin is usually discussing preparations for that most unique of Olympic sports - walking.
  • Not all athletes with such immense talent and dedication to their sport are supremely dull in real life, as Lolo Jones' Twitter account demonstrates.
  • The senior writer for Sports Illustrated, Grant Wahl has accrued thousands upon thousands of followers for a reason, namely his considerable footballing knowledge.
  • Tyson Gay's constant retweeting of compliments makes his Twitter account necessary to follow for the cringeworthy factor that somehow makes it simultaneously compelling. Plus, he might retweet you.
  • Some people accuse top athletes of being humourless bores, but US swimmer Ryan Lochte is the exact opposite.
  • US basketball player Kevin Durant is also prone to the odd philosophical musing, which makes him unique among athletes, if anything else.
  • If you're looking for someone who lives, breathes and sleeps basketball, US star Chris Paul is your man.
  • The 100m Olympic Gold Medalist is really just a Tebow wannabe at heart (aren't we all).
  • The Australian Olympic athlete has been known to tweet the occasional controversial photo. She's also a Triple Olympic Champion and World Record holder by the way, if that's of any interest? No? I thought not.
  • Chloe Magee represents Ireland at badminton. She also does that adorable 'wtf is this Twitter thing' shtick, which all recent converts to the site tend to demonstrate. Follow her, if only so you can explain how the whole thing works.
  • Arguably Ireland's second most famous professional cyclist, Martin is never boring in his assessment of his own performances, as well as other matters pertaining to his sport/cultural differences between the French and everyone else.
  • McDermott, who works at the Irish Sports Council, is clearly a sports fanatic judging by his account, and so like-minded people should obviously drop everything and follow him immediately.
  • Whether you're a lover of CSI, swimming or sport in general, Sycerika McMahon is clearly worth a follow. Not only is she far more freakishly talented than anyone has the right to be at 17, she also seems like a genuinely lovely and fun person, judging by her account.
  • If there's one sports journalist to follow over the course of the Olympics (apart from those associated with TheScore.ie who I wholeheartedly endorse obviously), make it Jonathan Liew. As a result, you will be guaranteed a minimum of one laugh per day.
  • While recommending such a corporate, official account may seem naff to some, 865,056 people (and counting) would beg to differ. And with good reason, given the quality of the tweets.
  • Any avid follower of Irish sport need look no further for reliable, up-to-date and consistently illuminating knowledge regarding the Olympics.
  • An account 'run by fans for fans,' this is an excellent source providing an impassioned and prolific presentation of news and analysis that's both Irish and Olympic-related. In addition, it's a refreshing alternative to the dozens of relentlessly dry and uninteresting official sites for the Games.
  • Steve Wilson's status as an authority on the Olympic Games is unquestionable. The AP reporter has been covering the Games for 20 years, and his tweets consequently carry an air of authority on the subject.
  • Not all boxers are inarticulate halfwits a la Rocky. Darren O'Neill disproves that stereotype. Pity his football skills aren't up to scratch however (see above).
  • Not many people are both world class boxers and massive One Direction fans, but John Joe Nevin is clearly a unique guy.
  • Will Ireland's modern pentathlon representative be able to succeed in containing her child-like excitement before the Olympics begin? Follow her on Twitter to discover the outcome of this gripping saga.
  • One of the few openly-gay athletes at the Olympics, the 2008 gold medal winner is also one of the most hilarious athletes/people on Twitter, having an agreeable tendency to mock his fellow competitors.
  • Follow Caroline Wozniacki to find out if the Olympics proves enough of a distraction to stop her obsessing over boyfriend Rory McIlroy. I wouldn't bet on it.
  • The above pun is surely enough of a reason on its own to follow the American wrestler.
  • Observing the Jamaican sprinter's narcissism (even by Twitter standards) is oddly fascinating, as he does virtually nothing other than tweet photos of himself and his adventures.
  • Please follow the British swimmer. She desperately needs the encouragement. She's been up since 5.12am.
  • Oscar Pistorius is a an eccentric guy who tends to tweet the most random thoughts that come into his head. In other words, he's made for Twitter.
  • If it's diving/anecdotes about crazy mums that you're into, then get following Tom Daley, pronto.
  • The former European and world heptathlon champion is ultimately just a normal, sleep-deprived regular Joe deep down, which makes her all the more appealing to follow naturally.
  • US basketball star Kevin Love is incredibly talented at what he does, and more impressively still, he's ostensibly immune to vanity.
  • We just couldn't resist...

Have we missed anyone? Let us know in the comments section below.

Read: London 2012: Introducing… Cian O’Connor>

Read: YouTube Top 10: because Thomas Vermaelen can imitate a Shaolin Kung Fu warrior if he wants>

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