World Athletics reached #1 Instagram ranking in the SportOnSocial International Federations 2025 Report, following a steady rise since Tokyo – climbing from 5th to 1st place.

Recognising the sport’s global reach and the significance of the Olympic stage, World Athletics adopted cultural storytelling, city-inspired themes, and innovative content formats to engage audiences. By integrating Parisian culture, athlete-focused narratives, and trend-driven content, they established themselves as a leading force among Olympic sports on Instagram.

Key tactics

Laura Arcoleo, World Athletics Head of Digital Media, identified four key tactics that drove their success:
1. Creating a unique and powerful brand identity – making digital content stand out in a crowded space
2. Capitalising on the city of Paris – making content more relevant to casual fans attracted during the Games
3. Placing powerful athletes at the centre of storytelling – using the collaboration tool on Instagram
4. Introducing winners of Content Creators programme – providing fans with the most informative, inspiring and entertaining

“We knew all eyes around the world would be on athletics and we had to be prepared to offer the most comprehensive experience for our fans.”

Using culture & jumping on trends

Embracing Paris & cultural relevance
World Athletics fully integrated the spirit of Paris into its content strategy, drawing from the city’s rich art, culture, food, and language to engage a broader Olympic audience. This cultural connection helped make athletics more accessible to casual fans during the Games, with examples such as ‘Hang it the Louvre’ which generated 12% more engagement than the post average.

Preparation & planning
By establishing a well-structured and robust long-term content plan early in the season, World Athletics created space for creativity, allowing them to capitalise on trends and even create new ones. Their in-depth knowledge and detailed planning ensured they were in the right place at the right time to jump on trends and report on the most important stories and results, being the first to release key information.

Storytelling through archival footage

World Athletics pride themselves on their history, legends and archive. As their fanbase grows with each generation of emerging athletes, the archive provides a rich source of content that connects each generation of fans to discover and re-discover the stories of Athletics stars.

“We know what fans of athletics want; we are fans ourselves. By preparing detailed plans well in advance, we can create the most compelling and engaging content for our audience.”

Building hype with SPRINT documentary

The Netflix documentary SPRINT was released just before Paris 2024, offering a unique look into the world of elite sprinters. World Athletics collaborated with Netflix by sharing promotional materials, while also creating exclusive digital assets to leverage this moment to boost the sport’s visibility and attract new fans in the lead up to Paris 2024.

World Athletics were pleased to see athletes’ popularity grow as the show broke into Netflix’s top 10 most viewed shows in its first week.

Tailoring content for different audiences
World Athletics excelled in tailoring content for diverse audiences by preparing specifically for unique moments, such as the first-ever medals won by countries like Pakistan, Saint Lucia, Dominica, and Botswana during Paris 2024. Anticipating these historic achievements, the digital team created tailored content that would resonate with local audiences while maintaining a global appeal.

By being ready for all possible outcomes and releasing information swiftly, World Athletics ensured its content transcended audiences, while also enabling the athletes’ personalities and achievements to transcend in a way that connected with fans internationally.