London 2012 Olympics embraces social media

The London 2012 Summer Olympics is embracing social media, including live athlete questions and answers, blogs of the events, and feeds from a wide variety of websites, including Facebook and Twitter.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has set up the Olympic Athletes Hub, which aggregates a variety of social streams. The Inside the Olympic Village page provides a live Q&A with athletes, keeping fans in touch with their favourite competitors.Instagram is collaborating with the IOC for “Faces of Olympians,” which will show a collection of athlete photos throughout the Games. With over 30,000 followers in just 60 days, this medium will be a huge outlet for Olympic fever.The Olympic Challenge social game will launch soon, allowing fans to make predictions for the outcome of each event. A leaderboard will show who is making the most accurate forecasts, and integration with Facebook and Open Graph means predictions can be shared and friends can compete with each other for the winning outcome.More Olympics coverage will be found on Tumblr blogs, a special Olympic Ticket badge can be obtained on Foursquare, free tickets are up for grabs on Facebook, and athletes are engaging fans on Google+.“The Athletes’ Hub has already compiled Twitter and Facebook feeds of over 2,000 verified Olympians. The additions we are announcing today further demonstrate the IOC’s continued efforts to socialize the Olympic Games and create a better, more engaging experience for fans and Olympic athletes around the world,” said Mark Adams, Director of Communications for the International Olympic Committee.“Social media has been a great way to connect with fans and share not just my stories but the stories of other amazing people and athletes,” said Oscar Pistorius, South African sprint runner. “I regularly use it to share my experiences and provide inspiration for those who are overcoming obstacles or just need an extra push to remember that hard work pays off. I am truly blessed and thrilled to be participating in the 2012 London Olympics and look forward to sharing my Olympic experiences with the social media community and inspiring young athletes to do amazing things.”Check out the Olympic Social Media Hub, or find the Olympics on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram (via @Olympics), and Foursquare.