As we gear up for the 2024 Summer Olympics to start on July 26 in Paris, France, we can’t wait to see how some of the biggest athletes compete on the main stage.
Swimming is a sport where American athletes always shine, and this year’s competition will be no different. A report from SwimOutlet analyzed 91 American swimmers and ranked them based on Instagram followers and Google searches to see who everyone is the most excited about.
These are the five who came out on top.
5. Emma Weyant
Birthdate: Dec. 24, 2021
Born in: Sarasota, Florida
USA swimming club: Gator Swim Club
No. of Instagram followers: 47,900
Search volume (average monthly in U.S.): 16,441
Total score: 83.74
Career highlights: Emma Weyant won the silver medal in the 400-meter individual medley at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
4. Cody Miller
Birthdate: Jan. 9, 1992
Born in: Billings, Montana
USA swimming club: Sandpipers of Nevada
No. of Instagram followers: 143,000
Search volume (average monthly in U.S.): 8,489
Total score: 85.95
Career highlights: Cody Miller won the bronze for the 100-meter breaststroke and a gold in the 4×100-meter medley relay at the 2016 Summer Olympics. (He didn’t qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics, which makes his return all the more intriguing.)
3. Ryan Murphy
Birthdate: July 2, 1995
Born in: Chicago, Illinois
USA swimming club: California Aquatics
No. of Instagram followers: 195,000
Search volume (average monthly in U.S.): 60,908
Total score: 85.95
Career highlights: In 2020, Ryan Murphy won a gold medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay alongside Michael Andrew, Zach Apple and Caeleb Dressel as well as won a silver in the 200-meter backstroke and a bronze for the 100-meter backstroke.
2. Caeleb Dressel
Birthdate: Aug. 16, 1996
Born in: Green Cove Springs, Florida
USA swimming club: Cali Condors
No. of Instagram followers: 627,000
Search volume (average monthly in U.S.): 27,992
Total score: 95.67
Career highlights: At the 2020 Olympics, Caeleb Dressel managed to win five gold medals, making him only the fifth American to do so in a single Olympic Games after 1970.
1. Katie Ledecky
Birthdate: March 17, 1997
Born in: Washington, D.C.
USA swimming club: Gator Swim Club
No. of Instagram followers: 603,000
Search volume (average monthly in U.S.): 99,625
Total score: 99.90
Career highlights: Katie Ledecky has won the most gold medals in history for a female swimmer — seven Olympic golds and 21 world championship golds.
For more about Olympic swimmers, check out “Fastest Swimmers in Olympics History.”