Keely Hodgkinson one of Team GB's biggest hits on Instagram after Olympics success

Keely Hodgkinson's stunning Olympic debut saw her make a splash on social media, according to new research.
Keely Hodgkinson won silver in the 800mKeely Hodgkinson won silver in the 800m
Keely Hodgkinson won silver in the 800m

The 19-year-old - who won silver in the 800m in Tokyo - claimed the eighth biggest increase in Instagram followers among Team GB athletes.

Leigh athlete Hodgkinson, who is coached by Wigan's Trevor Painter, was followed by 18,000 people before the Games began.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But after her stunning performance on the track, which saw her beat Dame Kelly Holmes' British Record, she bagged herself 40,987 new followers, a 227 per cent increase.

Team GB diver Tom Daley topped the podium as the athlete that gained the most followers over the course of the games.

New research by online gaming experts CasinoScores.com has revealed that Daley gained a whopping 921,486 followers since the opening ceremony on July 23. The study analysed the Instagram profile of each Team GB member and used social media marketing tools to discover who won the influencer Olympics.

Daley, who won his first gold medal as part of the diving team, went to Tokyo with just over two million followers and will leave Tokyo with 921,486 new followers which is an overall increase of 44 per cent.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Daley’s influence has rubbed off on his diving partner Matty Lee, from Leeds, who gained the third highest number of followers in Team GB, gaining 150,643 followers. This is almost double his original follower count when he headed to Tokyo.

Despite being the youngest athlete on Team GB, Sky Brown has gained 297,707 followers since the opening ceremony, after winning bronze in Park Skateboarding. This is a 35 per cent follower increase altogether, making her the second most popular athlete after Daley.

Gymnasts the Gadirova twins top the list for the highest percentage increase in their follower count. Jessica Gadirova saw a 280 per cent jump in her follower count, going from 16,509 on the day of the opening ceremony to a whopping 62,652 followers, which is an increase of 46,143 followers. Her twin sister, Jennifer, had a 241 per cent increase in her followers, going from 14,377 to 49,066, suggesting that these twins are ones to watch in future gymnastics tournaments.

A spokesperson from CasinoScores.com said: “Team GB has achieved phenomenal success in Tokyo – they have made the nation proud and these figures prove it. Thanks to their amazing performances in Japan, these athletes can expect all sorts of brand deals, sponsorships and plenty more opportunities as they turn their attention towards Paris 2024.”

Hodgkinson, meanwhile, was back in a familiar routine at the weekend with coach Painter tweeting a picture of her running near the DW Stadium in the rain!