Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Log in
Log in
Subscribe

Ten of the most liked social media posts for 2016

Published Mon 26 Dec 2016

When the big moments happen in the sporting arena social media erupts with photos, hashtags, retweets and filters.

This year Athletics Australia captured a number of those moments and here is a list of the top ten posts from the most liked content on facebook, twitter and Instagram.

 

Leading off is young sprint star Ella Nelson (NSW) who naturally received a significant amount of praise online for her personal best run in the 200m semi-finals at the Rio Olympics.

Making an Olympic final is not easy, so the pure joyous moment of training partners Genevieve LaCaze (Vic) and Eloise Wellings (NSW) celebrating after the heats of the women’s 5,000m in Rio was an insta worthy shot.

A photo of Olympic long jumper Brooke Stratton (Vic) flying through the air about to break the Australian record with a leap of 7.05 metres received big kudos.

Australian race walker Jared Tallent (SA) was disappointingly robbed of the chance to be bombarded with celebratory posts online for his efforts in London at the 2012 Olympics, so the presentation of the gold medal he should have received in the English capital four years ago was justly supported.

Finishing any marathon probably ought to get you a few Facebook likes, but placing 18th, 22nd and 31st at the Olympics as Milly Clark (NSW), Jess Trengove (SA) and Lisa Weightman (Vic) did gets you way past the 1K mark. 

As we all know from the efforts of Derek Redmond at the 1992 Olympics not all special athletic moments are about winning – Australian pole vaulter Alana Boyd (Qld) was given a lot of love across social media for her classy performance following an agonising fourth-place finish.

Everyone likes tracking a romance online through social media, which made for some popular posts on Olympic middle distance star Ryan Gregson’s (Vic) love for girlfriend Genevieve LaCaze (Vic).

Cringeworthy injuries on the sporting field are always a viral sensation across all social media platforms, which was the case when javelin thrower Kim Mickle (WA) popped her shoulder out during the qualification rounds in Rio.

The last day of athletics at the Paralympics in Rio saw five medals won by Australia, including gold for 800m runner James Turner (NSW) and silver for Isis Holt (Vic) in the 200m – we like that!

Finally, a finish line photo that probably would have got a like from Cam Newton himself, showing a Queensland athlete dabbing to celebrate victory at All-Schools.