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Had Instagram been around since the advent of modern Olympic Games, there is no doubt that greats like Johnny Weissmuller and Mark Spitz would be in the competition for the greatest number of followers among swimmers. As it is, Michael Phelps, who famously broke Spitz’s record for gold medal finishes at a single Games, leads all pool celebrities by a wide margin with more than three million followers.

SWIMMING’S INSTAGRAM KINGS

Kings of Swimming: Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Adam Peaty tops in followers on Instagram

Following Phelps’ total is his former frequent competitor and sometimes relay partner, Ryan Lochte, who is nearing one million followers. English swimmer Adam Peaty, who in 2016 won Britain’s first gold medal in swimming in almost a quarter century, comes in third place.

UPDATED December 19, 2023

12) CESAR CIELO

César Augusto Cielo Filho
Specialty: 100-meter freestyle
Born January 10, 1987 🇧🇷 Sao Paulo, Brazil
Instagram followers: 138 thousand

11) DAIYA SETO

Daiya Seto
Specialty: 200-meter butterfly
Born May 24, 1994 🇯🇵 Moroyama, Japan
Instagram followers: 145 thousand

10) JOSEPH SCHOOLING

Joseph Isaac Schooling
Specialty: 100-meter butterfly
Born June 16, 1995 🇸🇬 Singapore
Instagram followers: 172 thousand

9) RYAN MURPHY

Ryan Murphy
Specialty: 100-meter backstroke
Born July 2, 1995 🇺🇸 Chicago, Illinois
Instagram followers: 201 thousand

8) CHAD LE CLOS

Chad Guy Bertrand le Clos
Specialty: 200-meter butterfly
Born April 21, 1992 🇿🇦 Durban, South Africa
Instagram followers: 226 thousand

7) FLORENT MANAUDOU

Florent Manaudou
Specialty: 50-meter freestyle, backstroke
Born November 12, 1990 🇫🇷 Villeurbanne, France
Instagram followers: 281 thousand

6) CONOR DWYER

Conor James Dwyer
Specialty: Freestyle, individual medley
Born January 10, 1989 🇺🇸 Winnetka, Illinois
Instagram followers: 251 thousand

5) NATHAN ADRIAN

Nathan Ghar-jun Adrian
Specialty: Freestyle
Born December 7, 1988 🇺🇸 Bremerton, Washington
Instagram followers: 283 thousand

4) ADAM PEATY

Adam George Peaty
Specialty: Breaststroke
Born December 28, 1994 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Uttoxeter, England
Instagram followers: 609 thousand

3) CAELEB DRESSEL

Caeleb Remel Dressel
Specialty: Butterfly
August 16, 1996 🇺🇸 Green Cove Springs, Florida
Instagram followers: 658 thousand

2) RYAN LOCHTE

Ryan Steven Lochte
Specialty: Backstroke
Born August 3, 1984 🇺🇸 Rochester, New York
Instagram followers: 1 million

1) MICHAEL PHELPS

Michael Fred Phelps II
Specialty: 400-meter individual medley
Born June 30, 1985 🇺🇸 Baltimore, Maryland
Instagram followers: 3.4 million