Social media keeps us more plugged in than ever. And one of the coolest things about the digital world we live in is how easy it is to connect with swimmers from other countries…including the best in the world!
Today we’re sharing a list of the top swimmers you MUST follow on social media!
Follow these swimmers for a behind the scenes look at what it’s like to be an elite swimmer and see what the best of the best are doing as the they train, travel, and compete to be the best in the world.
1. Michael Andrew (@swimmermichael)
Michael Andrew is an American swimmer training in California. He swims for the U.S. National Team is team captain for the New York Breakers International Swim League team.
What we love about Michael is his mix of epic swim training content with dryland and lifestyle shots. You can really tell how passionate he is about the sport!
Follow Michael for a look at Ultra-Short Race Pace Training in action. He’s a huge fan of short, sprint-focused workouts!
2. Federica Pellegrini (@kikkafede88)
Hailing from Italy, Federica Pellegrini holds the women’s 200-meter freestyle world record, and if you follow her on Instagram, you’ll be joining over a million followers from around the world.
We love her feed…it’s got a mix of her training and recovery, plus fun shots from her travels around Italy. She also has 2 adorable French bulldogs!
3. Jessica Long (@jessicatatianalong)
A member of the United States Paralympic team, Jessica Long is a 13-time Paralympic champion. She was born without legs, but that hasn’t stopped her from becoming one of the world’s top athletes.
Give her a follow for a mix of lifestyle and swimming content. You’ll learn more about the unique challenges double amputees face, both in life and in the pool. Jessica’s positive attitude is infectious!
Watch our #AskASwimPro interview with Jessica!
4. Sajan Prakash (@sajanprakash)
If you need to stay motivated, we recommend following Indian Olympic butterflier Sajan Prakash. He often pairs his photos with an inspiring quote that can help you stay consistent and dedicated, both in and out of the pool.
Give him a follow for an international perspective and motivation! We got to chat with Sajan in person at the 2018 FINA World Championships. Check out the interview here!
5. Vladimir Morozov (@v1adm)
While he’s lived in the U.S. Since age 14, Vladimir Morozov represents Russia in international competitions. The 100 IM world record holder shares photos from his daily life and training in Los Angeles, along with throwbacks from the recent ISL season, the FINA World Cup, and more. He’s a beast in the pool and can throw down some pretty incredible performances in workout.
Watch our interview with Vlad from 2018 FINA World Championships!
6. Cody Miller (@codymiller)
If you’re a swim nerd, American Olympian Cody Miller is your guy to follow! He’s a breaststroker who also has a mild obsession with Harry Potter.
Chances are, you’ve come across a few of Cody’s hilarious vlogs, which often feature workouts and appearances from other Olympians, like Lilly King and Katie Ledecky. This in-depth look at daily training was pretty unprecedented until he started doing it! And man, we’re glad he did.
Related: How to Train Like an Olympic Gold Medalist
Cody competes in the ISL, so keep an eye out for some awesome races from him this season!
7. Viktoria Zeynep Gunes (@viktoriagunes)
Viktoria Zeynep Gunes is a Turkish Olympian whose Instagram feed is full of inspiration! As a member of the Energy Standard in the International Swim League, Viktoria has some pretty awesome training content that she shares on her page.
We have to give a shoutout to her cool travel shots, too. From Asia to Europe to the USA, she’s quite the globe trotter!
8. Jamal Hill (@swimuphill)
Jamal Hill has a pretty amazing story. At age 10, he experienced total paralysis due to a neurological condition, and was able to overcome it with the help of swimming.
On Instagram, he shares his journey to the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics. But he isn’t just focused on his own swimming goals. Jamal is on a quest to teach 1 million people to swim through his Swim Up Hill Foundation, so you’ll see lots of updates on his work here, too!
Related: Where Are All the Black Swimmers?
9. Adam Peaty (@adam_peaty)
Next, we have the breaststroke king himself, Adam Peaty. He’s the current world record holder in the 50 and 100-meter breaststroke, and he’s so fun to watch!
His Instagram feed is packed full of epic photos and training shots that are sure to get you motivated to swim. We can’t wait to see what he has in store for us this season as part of the ISL London Roar!
Related: How Adam Peaty Swims So Fast
Plus, he’s a new father, so we can expect tons of adorable family photos to come!
10. Sarah Sjöström (@sarahsjostrom)
Sweden’s Sarah Sjöström holds 6 world records, and is best known for freestyle and butterfly dominance. A member of the Energy Standard ISL team, she kicks butt in the pool, and always has a smile on her face!
She takes us along with her during training on her Instagram Stories and shares fun shots from her adventures, both in the pool and out of the water.
11. Michael Gunning (@michaelgunning1)
For even more positive vibes, give Jamaican National Teamer Michael Gunning a follow. Based in the United Kingdom, Michael shares inspiring tidbits on his feed that will help keep you positive and motivated.
Keep an eye out for his vlogs, too! Michael gives us an in depth look at what life is like as a professional swimmer living in the UK. Watch our #AskASwimPro interview with Michael here!
12. Rikako Ikee (@ikee.rikako)
Rikako Ikee is a Japanese sprinter who specializes in freestyle and butterfly. Her feed is packed full of a wide variety of content, from swimming photos to fashion shots to travel memories.
Since being diagnosed with leukemia in 2019, she has shared her journey with followers on Instagram. While treatment has impacted her training, she’s still swimming, and hopes to compete in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo!
13. Chad Le Clos (@chadleclos)
Chad Le Clos is South Africa’s most decorated Olympian, with 4 total medals. He specializes in butterfly and freestyle.
His Instagram feed gives us a peek at how his training is shaping up with the Energy Standard, and how he likes to spend his time out of the pool. He is a world traveler, and one of the most followed swimmers in the world!
14. Katinka Hosszú (@hosszukatinka)
Related: Katinka Hosszú IM Stroke Technique Analysis
Next up we have Hungarian powerhouse Katinka Hosszú, better known as the Iron Lady. Katinka gives her followers a look at her life as one of the world’s top Individual Medley swimmers and businesswomen.
Related: How to Swim the 400IM like Michael Phelps & Katinka Hosszú
Beyond her own swim training, Katinka co-owns an ISL Team Iron as well as Iron Swim Budapest, which provides swim programming for kids and adults in Hungary.
15. Yusra Mardini (@mardiniysra)
Yusra Mardini swims for the Refugee Olympic Athletes Team. She lives in Germany, originally from Syria and is the author of Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian.
Yusra’s Instagram shows how multi-faceted she is. She trains hard, but she’s also actively involved in organizations helping refugees.
Watch the Interview: #AskASwimPro with Yusra Mardini
16. Florent Manaudou (@florentmanaudou)
French sprinter Florent Manaudou is a beast. On his IG feed, you’ll find lots of behind the scenes photos of his training with Energy Standard, plus a sneak peek at what Flo likes to do in his free time.
Flo is one of the most recognized professional athletes in France, and swimmers around the world respect him for his incredible performances in the pool!
17. Bruno Fratus (@brunofratus)
If you love epic race footage and cool swimming photography, give Bruno Fratus a follow. The Brazilian freestyler shares killer photos and videos from his day-to-day training, along with memories from his 2012 and 2016 Olympic races.
18. Caeleb Dressel (@caelebdressel)
Olympic champion Caeleb Dressel’s sense of humor shines through on his Instagram feed. He is one of the most impressive athletes the sport of swimming has ever seen, so give this legend a follow!
In addition to fun posts about his training, Caeleb shares his endeavors outside of the pool, including his online course, travel, family and more.
Related: Caeleb Dressel Shares His Training Schedule & New Online Course
19. Katie Ledecky (@katieledecky)
Speaking of legends, how about distance queen, Katie Ledecky!? Between sharing memories from the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, Katie gives her followers a look at how she’s working to advance STEM education opportunities, along with her own experience as a student at Stanford University. Not to mention swimming with a cup of chocolate milk on her head!
Related: How to Swim the 200 & 400 Freestyle Like Katie Ledecky
20. Daiya Seto (@daiya_seto)
Last but not least, we have Daiya Seto of Japan. On Instagram, he gives followers an honest look at what it’s like to train for the Olympics, including how he felt when the 2020 games were postponed.
You’ll also find that Daiya devotes a good portion of his feed to reflecting on past races. We would too if we were one of the best IMers in the world!
We hope you found a few new swimmers to follow on Instagram. Be sure you’re following MySwimPro on Instagram, too! In addition to sharing our own swim drills, educational videos and stories, we find the best content in the world to share with our global community!