Eight Instagrammers to Follow for an Insider’s View of the Olympic Games
From art and food to skis and skates, these Instagrammers give you a behind-the-scenes look at #Pyeongchang2018
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Can’t make it to the Olympic Games this year but still want to stay up-to-date on what happens outside the competition? These eight Instagram accounts are must-follows for behind-the-scenes shots and Korean culture. And don’t forget to follow the official Olympics Instagram to see the heart of the action.
Roald Bradstock (@roaldbradstock)
In 2014, the International Olympic Committee launched an artists-in-residence program to bring arts back into the Olympic Games. This year’s artists are all former Olympians. Roald Bradstock competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics for England as a javelin thrower. He’s now a full-time artist, and for his residency, he’ll be working on 16 collaborative large-scale paintings representing the Games. Every morning of the Olympics, he plans to set up a blank canvas in the Olympic Village and invite competing athletes to paint whatever they want.
Jeff Cable (@jeffcablephotography)
Jeff Cable’s Instagram is a fun mix of portraits, animals and sports stars. He’s a professional photographer and photography teacher and has captured the last five Olympic Games. He’ll be sharing team photos, event photography and shots from inside the press room. Watch his blog as well for more behind-the-scenes pictures.
Vanessa James (@vanessa_james_sk8)
This French figure skater shares a mix of routine photos, personal shots and behind-the-scenes images. You may know Vanessa James and her partner, Morgan Cipres, from the recently popular video of their virtually flawless pairs routine set to a haunting cover of Sound of Silence.
What to Eat Today? (@GreedEat)
When in Pyeongchang, athletes have to eat, right? What to Eat Today? is one of South Korea's most popular food-focused Instagram accounts, followed by more 459,000 people. Follow along to see a curated selection of local dishes ranging from tradition to the latest trend, and see what Olympians and spectators can sample while at the Games.
Pita Taufatofua (@pita_tofua)
Pita Taufatofua first caught the internet's attention as the shirtless flag-bearer in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, where he competed in taekwondo. Pita Taufatofua is back as the only Olympian from Tonga in the 2018 Pyeongchang games. The former homeless youth councelor will be competing as a cross-country skier this time around, having just made the cut in the very last qualifying event. Taufatofua has been cataloging his journey to the Olympics, including training on roller skis around his home country, on Instagram and a GoFundMe page.
Chloe Kim (@chloekimsnow)
By the time Chloe Kim reached driving age, she had already clinched a record—she was the only X Games athlete in history to win three gold medals before the age of 16. She won gold for the U.S. in halfpipe and slopestyle snowboarding at the Lillehammer Youth Olympics in 2016 and is a favorite for the medal stand in Pyeongchang's halfpipe event. Watch her Instagram for a lot of in-the-moment snow action.
Ngozi Onwumere (@ngozi.onwumere)
Nigeria will be competing in the Winter Olympics for the first time this year with a female bobsled team. Ngozi Onwumere, who sprinted for the University of Houston, helps run the bobsled brakes. On her Instagram, you’ll find a combination of personal fun shots that show an inside view of her life, and games-related pictures and video.
Photographers In Korea (@photographers_in_korea)
This Instagram account features jaw-dropping shots by both well-known and up-and-coming photographers living in South Korea. It suspended posting in March 2017, but the account's archives offer a portal into the Olympic host country’s misty mountainscapes and energy-filled street scenes.
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