--- title: Best Winter Olympics 2018 Athletes on Instagram to Follow description: From Lindsey Vonn to Gus Kenworthy and Nathan Chen, these are the Olympic athletes you should be following as the PyeongChang Games begin. canonical: https://time.com/5088951/winter-olympics-2018-instagram/ author: Raisa Bruner article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-01-25T22:37:47.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:47:24.221Z og:title: 10 Winter Olympics 2018 U.S. Athletes to Follow on Instagram og:description: These are the essential big personalities to follow og:url: https://time.com/5088951/winter-olympics-2018-instagram/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 10 Winter Olympics 2018 U.S. Athletes to Follow on Instagram twitter:description: These are the essential big personalities to follow twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # 10 of the Essential Winter Olympics 2018 U.S. Athletes to Follow on Instagram Now > Sponsored content. 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Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: Gus Kenworthy Is The First Openly Gay Winter Olympian [Watch (HLS stream): Gus Kenworthy Is The First Openly Gay Winter Olympian](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FsbJtgRH.m3u8) (4:13)  _Published 2017-12-15. Gus Kenworthy heads to the Winter Olympics in South Korea, thrilled to represent the LGBT community as the first openly gay Winter Olympic athlete._  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Jan 25, 2018 10:37 PM UTC  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Jan 25, 2018 10:37 PM UTC The 2018 Winter Olympics will [kick off in PyeongChang](http://time.com/5070315/winter-olympics-2018-location/) in February — so it’s high time you start getting to know all of this year’s star athletes before the games. And what better way to do it than by checking that “follow” button on Instagram? Thanks to social media, sports stars like legends [Lindsey Vonn](http://time.com/5084197/lindsey-vonn-olympics-facts/) and Shaun White and young talents Nathan Chen and Chloe Kim are more accessible to fans than ever before, even if they’re competing in and around mountain ranges and indoor rinks thousands of miles away in PyeongChang. Click through below to discover the winter games athletes whose names — and Instagram usernames — you should definitely know by now. And when the events kick off on Feb. 9, you’ll find yourself with a behind-the-scenes view of what’s going down in South Korea, brought to you directly from the competitors themselves. ### Gus Kenworthy In 2014, freestyle skier [Gus Kenworthy](http://time.com/5066113/gus-kenworthy-ready-to-embrace-role-2018-winter-olympics/) became one of the biggest stories of the U.S. Olympic team in Sochi. Not only was he one of three Americans to sweep the medals for the slopestyle event, taking silver, but also because, in a perfect viral story, Kenworthy discovered a group of homeless pups and used his social media profile to help get them the support they needed, including new homes with him and his family and friends. His story, however, didn’t end there. In 2015, he [came out publicly](http://time.com/4083587/olympic-skier-gus-kenworthy-gay/) on the cover of ESPN’s magazine, becoming one of his sport’s only out athletes. Since then, he’s been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights; qualified handily for his reappearance at the 2018 Olympics; and has managed to keep up a steady stream of popular Instagram posts. Plus, you can bet he’ll be keeping an eye out for some more international puppies. ### Shaun White Two-time Olympic gold medalist snowboarder [Shaun White](http://time.com/4097007/shaun-white-snowboard-olympics/) has been a mainstay on the U.S. team since 2006, first gaining fame as the fiery-haired, boundary-pushing boarder who would attempt ever-wilder halfpipe tricks. His time in the spotlight has seen him evolve into an articulate and fashion-forward sport leader — and one of the most popular personalities of the 2014 Games, even though he finished fourth in his event in Sochi. Most recently, he took a tumble that required [62 stitches to his face](http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2017/11/01/shaun-white-snowboarding-crash/), but still managed to clinch his Olympic spot for PyeongChang. ### Lindsey Vonn [Lindsey Vonn](http://time.com/5084197/lindsey-vonn-olympics-facts/) is also one of the U.S. team’s most notable names and longtime Olympic competitors. She’s made (and broken) countless records in her years across events in alpine skiing, including winning the U.S.’s first-ever gold medal in women’s downhill in 2010 and holding the most World Cup titles of any woman in skiing. Sidelined due to injuries in 2014, she served as a commentator only in Sochi. But for 2018 she’s back in the running, and will be gunning for major medals. Not that her Instagram is all business: as a de facto team leader and longtime star, she’s gained more than a million followers for her posts, which are in turns glamorous and very inspirational, from her intense workouts to her ability to overcome injury and obstacles. ### Adam Rippon Figure skater [Adam Rippon](http://time.com/5090778/team-usa-2018-winter-olympics-figure-skating-lineup/) found himself the center of media attention after qualifying for men’s individual finals this year, marking him as the first ever openly gay male athlete on the U.S.’s Winter Olympics roster. (He would be joined by Kenworthy shortly after.) It’s also Rippon’s first go-round at the Winter Olympics, although he was the U.S. national champion in 2016\. But between his candid photos, fun Instagram Stories (including inside looks at training programs), and close friendships with star fellow skaters (like Ashley Wagner and Nathan Chen), he’s already made clear he’s a personality to watch — and isn’t afraid to state his opinions candidly, [including political ones. ](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/christinebrennan/2018/01/17/gay-olympian-adam-rippon-blasts-selection-mike-pence-lead-u-s-delegation/1040610001/) ### Chloe Kim Few athletes seem to have as much fun in the mountains as Chloe Kim, the 17-year-old snowboarding sensation. Whether she’s hanging out with fellow boarders or world-famous DJ [Steve Aoki](http://time.com/4563402/steve-aoki-dj-interview/) — or building her own jumps for kicks — Kim is the friend you’d want to hit the slopes with, if you had the chance. She also has serious snowboarding chops, winning two gold medals in the 2016 Youth Olympic Games (a first for an American) and qualifying back in 2014 for the Sochi games, although her age (she was just 13 at the time) meant she had to bow out. Kim is already well on her way to name recognition in the U.S., while her Korean-American heritage brings [extra A-list status](http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2754663-chloe-kim-is-just-getting-started) when she visits the country. Count on Chloe for the best of the behind-the-scenes shots. ### Erin Jackson Erin Jackson has only been a long track speed skater for four months. But the former figure skater and inline speed skater managed to learn the specifics of the precision sport with enough mastery in just that short time to make the U.S. Olympic team, surprising many with her unexpected jump to team qualification. In doing so, she’s [making history](http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/who-erin-jackson) as an African-American woman representing the U.S. in the speed skating. Not that she’s planning on sticking to the sport forever: she’s already got her degree in materials science and engineering, and plans to continue with a Master’s. Follow Erin for insights into the world of speed skating, interspersed with some fun roller derby tidbits. ### Nathan Chen Another star of the ever-popular figure skating lineup is Nathan Chen. Chen, who’s [favored to wow crowds](http://time.com/collection-post/4684920/nathan-chen-next-generation-leaders/) at PyeongChang thanks to his intensely difficult routines on ice, is also the defending U.S. national champion for two years now, a title he’s kept after completing five quadruple-jumps in a single routine. But perhaps the most impressive part? Chen is just 18\. And like any savvy teen, he has a social media presence full of surprises: whether he’s showing off workouts, snapping photos with fellow celebrities (like basketball star Stephen Curry) or sharing news about his costume designs ([Vera Wang](https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcvw7LpgqtL/?taken-by=nathanwchen) has been tapped to create his looks for the ice), Chen’s youthful feed offers a peek into his wild — and wildly cool — life as a star young athlete. ### Mikaela Shiffrin Few athletes come with as much hype as Mikaela Shiffrin. The 22-year-old reigning Overall World Cup champion has been breaking records since she started racing as a kid, and is often lauded as one of the most aggressively focused skiers in the game today. [Back in 2014](http://www.espn.com/olympics/winter/2014/alpine/story/%5F/id/10495079/2014-sochi-olympics-us-mikaela-shiffrin-18-youngest-win-slalom-gold), she became the youngest slalom champ in Olympic history. But in the intervening four years, she’s expanded her repertoire to become a major — and dominant — competitor in all the women’s ski events, putting her smack in the spotlight for this year’s Games. Still, Shiffrin seems to be coping with the pressure pretty well; when she took a spill at a recent race, she came back to post about it self-deprecatingly [on her Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/BeTf%5FxTFT-7/?hl=en&taken-by=mikaelashiffrin). “Put me in coach,” she joked, adding, “We push the limits, we get better; we fall, we get up; it’s never predictable, and no one is invincible…and THAT is flippin’ awesome.” ### Steve Langton If you’re looking for fitness inspiration, look no further than the many athletes of the U.S. men’s bobsled team, [all of whom](https://twitter.com/heypiercey/status/950917990169669632) tend to keep up a steady stream of #fitspo and workout posts. Steve Langton, a three-time Olympian who [made history](https://www.teamusa.org/usa-bobsled-skeleton-federation/athletes/Steve-Langton) in Sochi by winning the U.S.’s first bobsled medals in decades, stands out from the pack both for his longstanding history with the team as both a two-man and four-man event competitor, and his keen eye for landscape photography. He always seems to be venturing around the U.S. — and, soon, abroad — in search of beautiful scenes which end up on his Instagram feed. Seems likely he’ll keep up the pattern once he lands in South Korea, too. Also see: [Sam Michener,](https://www.instagram.com/sam%5Fmichener/) [Hakeem Abdul-Saboor](https://www.instagram.com/has%5Ffitness/), [Chris Kinney](https://www.instagram.com/kai%5Fkun24/). ### Maia & Alex Shibutani Maia and Alex Shibutani coined themselves the “Shib Sibs” years ago — it’s even their joint Instagram handle — and have [been ice dancing in tandem](http://time.com/7986/meet-team-usa-maia-and-alex-shibutani/) since they were kids. Now they’re heading to PyeongChang for their second Olympics, after finishing ninth in Sochi. They’re known for making crowd-friendly choices like choreographing a routine to a Michael Jackson medley, and for their impressive cohesiveness as a pair. Both their duo Instagram and their personal ones are regularly updated with everything from adorable throwback pics to Olympic updates… and the occasional appearance of their two incredibly fluffy Maltese puppies, Lily and Po. (Yes, Lily and Po [have their own Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lilyandpo/) account, too.) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] When I was 14, one of my best friends we were sitting on the back of a snow cat getting towed up the mountain. And he ended up slipping over the side and got caught in the tracks and was run over. And it was so horrible, [ MUSIC ] And I remember wishing that it happened to me because if I had died, everyone would have remembered me in the same way that he was getting remembered. And I felt like if it happened to me, then everyone would have remembered me in this amazing way and No one would have ever had to find out that I was gay. I always felt when I was younger that I had this deficit because I was gay and if anybody found out it was going to be such a negative thing and have negative repercussions and so I had to make up for it in every other way. So I pushed myself really hard in school and I pushed myself in sports and tried to kind of Almost build myself up in all these other areas so that it could compensate for this other thing that was, what I thought was wrong with me at the time. [ SOUND ] Triple from Kenworthy. He wants it. [ APPLAUSE ] The last Olympics, it was like One of the most euphoric moments of my entire life. Getting silver medal was like everything for me. And everything that happened with the media around that and everything else put me on a place where I suddenly realize that I don't want these two separate lives. I don't wanna be living a lie and feeling guilty about who I am. And I had it on my mind that I wanted to Come out as number one in the world, because I felt like no one can talk **** when you're the best. And I flew from Aspen to Mammoth from the Grand Prix and I won. And then I flew to LA for the Air and Style in Pasadena, and I won. And then I flew to Park City for the Grand Prix, and I won. Sure enough, I was ranked number one again and things just kinda lined up for me. I got a call from someone in my industry. This was someone that I looked up to a lot and he wold be like where's your boyfriend, you ****. And like all these different things and like why you late for practice, you sucking his ****? And like things that were so inappropriate and like really hurt me and then the day that I came out he called me and he was like choked up, almost in tears and was like I just want to say I'm so sorry because Of the things that I said and I never really actually thought that that was the case, and if I ever had I would have never said those things. But look I'm so sorry if I made it harder for you, or anything. And that phone call from this person, the last person I would have ever expected to, really made me feel like my god this is gonna be a much better experience than I thought it was gonna be. The happiest I've ever been, the best I've ever felt, any of those things have all been like. I wasn't in the right head space, and I think that so much of competing is mental. And I think that me coming out put me in the right head space. Going into Korea now, I feel a lot more pressure actually than I did going into Sochi, but it's all for good things. For good reasons. Like, the thought of being the first openly gay male ever to compete in the Winter Olympics is, it's **** cool. I still have a lot to prove but it's not even so much to myself now. It's kind of like to everybody else I feel in a way. It's this other demographic that's watching me. It's the LGBT community. I'm like so badly I want to inspire that community. Community and do well for them. And I would love to win a gold medal and have that for my country and for my community and just be able to have that. That, for me, is a pressure that I would want. 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