We’ve been keeping an eye on the data to see which #Olympics moments have really inspired conversation on Twitter, and sharing that along the way. Yesterday, the peak of conversation came when Gabby Douglas earned herself the women’s all-around gymnastics gold medal, with 38,000 Tweets per minute related to the event. The Phelps-Lochte showdown was another huge moment, with 25,000 Tweets per minute about the end of their race.
What’s been so special about these Olympics is how often the athletes join the conversation themselves. We’ve seen Olympians engaging with their fans, cheering each other, and rueing a poor performance. But Tyler Clary (@TylerClary) did something unique— he didn’t just exchange a few Tweets, he narrated his own performance in the 200m backstroke. He took advantage of the tape delay for the US audience to send Tweets about what he was thinking in his big gold medal race just a few hours earlier.
It’s the unique perspective only an Olympian can provide, and Clary did, sharing his journey with thousands— narrating along with the race as they watched on TV.
Who wants to hear my narrative of what was happening leading up to my race and even after the race???
— Scott Tyler Clary (@TylerClary) August 3, 2012
I’m back in the ready room dancing and listening to a little dubstep, but right before I came out I switched on “The Motto” by Drake :)
— Scott Tyler Clary (@TylerClary) August 3, 2012
I see that I’m behind Ryan at the 100 but I am only thinking about building into the last 75
— Scott Tyler Clary (@TylerClary) August 3, 2012
All I could think about after I saw that result was my high school coach Kevin Perry who passed away during my freshman year of college
— Scott Tyler Clary (@TylerClary) August 3, 2012
The next morning Clary gave a shoutout to the musicians who kept him motivated and focused:
Just gave a shutout to
@skrillex and@deadmau5 for being my musical inspirations on#USWeekly. I’d love to learn from these guys!!!— Scott Tyler Clary (@TylerClary) August 3, 2012
And like many Olympians who suddenly find that the world’s spotlight has shone their way, Clary’s idols talked back:
@tylerclary tell you what, hand over that shiny medal thing and ill give you my diablo3 account! :D— deadmau5 (@deadmau5) August 3, 2012
@tylerclary hahaha, i stood 2 feet away from one once at the winter games in Vancouver. best i could do. is there chocolate inside?— deadmau5 (@deadmau5) August 3, 2012
After Clary’s big night in the pool and on Twitter, his followers grew by 12x.
Posted by Andrew Fitzgerald, Manager, Editorial Programming (@magicandrew)
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