What’s the best way to watch the Olympics this year? Try TikTok
Something about the Olympics felt off this year as they got underway. The usual buzz and anticipation were overshadowed by lingering disappointment from the Euros and an undercurrent of anxiety and frustration about the pandemic and “pingdemic” has made it hard to focus on something as cheering as the Games. Only 36 per cent of people in the UK say they are interested in the Tokyo Olympics, compared to 46 per cent back in 2016.
Apparently, we aren’t the only ones feeling like this. According to Ipsos Mori, 78 per cent of Japanese citizens did not think the Games should go ahead in Tokyo due to rising coronavirus cases. In America, figures suggest 37 per cent fewer people watched the opening ceremony than in 2016 and only 36 per cent of Japanese citizens think the Games will bring their country together.
Those of us sitting at home might be content with wallowing in our self-pity and letting Covid-19 claim the Olympics, but our Olympians had other ideas. “Magic Monday” saw Britain win three gold medals with swimmer Adam Peaty, divers Tom Daley and Matty Lee and mountain biker Tom Pidcock all taking one home. Our medal tally currently stands at 15.
The success of our three young gold medal winners revived my patriotic spirit and served as a swift and timely reminder of why the Games are so evocative. Despite competing without spectators and having faced months away from their families due to Covid training rules (and having caught Covid twice for swimmer Tom Dean) our Team GB representatives are strong and determined. It is impossible to resist feeling pride towards these athletes and despite the fierce competition, 62 per cent of people worldwide believe the Olympics act as an important opportunity for the world to come together again after the pandemic.
This year’s Olympics has so much to offer too; skateboarding is an Olympic sport for the first time, bringing us the coolest Nike-designed kits the Olympics have ever seen and a 13-year-old girl took the gold medal. Then there are the videos and pictures of Tom Daley’s joy at winning his gold medal and this viral video of the Australian swimming coach celebrating Ariarne Titmus’ win is well worth a watch.
The most interesting innovation of this year’s Games is the Olympic athletes’ use of social media. Hashtags and “trending” pages on social media have transformed the individual act of watching sports at home into something social; you can watch on one screen and follow live comments and updates from pundits and spectators on the other. The Tokyo Olympics hashtag has been used on Twitter almost 200,000 times and viewed on TikTok 2.9 billion times.
TikTok’s short video format makes it the perfect platform for behind-the-scenes footage and the algorithm means that after you watch one Olympic themed video, you can scroll down to find many others. Australian women’s water polo competitor, Tilly Kearns, has 341.8K followers on TikTok and has been using the app to explain the curious cardboard beds competitors sleep on and the Covid-safe protocols in the Olympic dining hall. “What else do you want to see?” she asks in the caption of one video. American rugby player, Cody Melphy, who has 900.5K followers, has been similarly recording the experience on the app, showing off the bedrooms, grounds, laundry room and answering questions about day to day life at the Games. American volleyball player Erik Shoji, who has 283.9K followers, has been reviewing the delicious food served in the Olympic dining hall on his TikTok and Britain’s Adam Peaty shared this video of him and his gold medal.
The integration of social media into the Olympic experience is a brilliant way to get more young people invested and watching the Games. TikTok and Instagram provide unmatched access to the Olympic athletes in Tokyo and give users the opportunity to ask questions such as “do you get to socialise with other teams” (yes, but they try not to due to Covid) and “why are the beds cardboard?” (they are eco-friendly). Britain even has a specific #AskTeamGB feature, which means anyone in the comments can pose a question for our athletes to answer. The hashtag has been viewed 19 million times. This intimate access to the athletes makes their every success feel even more poignant and personal when they are representing your country.
The Olympics might have had a quieter start than usual, but there is still time for a big finish. No matter who wins, just like the Euros, the Games represent a glimmer of normality, and for that reason, we need them more than ever this year. I’ll be following the rest of the Olympics closely, on television and on TikTok, getting a glimpse into the unique experience of the athletes and crossing my fingers for a Team GB win.