Athlete influencers compete for likes as well as medals in Paris

NEW YORK : Athletes on the hunt for Olympic gold will also be chasing likes and follows on social media in Paris, as a battle for a coveted piece of viral fame kicks off at the Games.

A social media side hustle unlike any other will play out across a frantic 16 days beginning on July 26 with Olympians looking to exploit a narrow window to connect with fans from the Games on platforms like YouTube, Tik Tok and Instagram.

American rugby player Ilona Maher went viral at the Tokyo Olympics and now boasts more than a million followers on Tik Tok, despite her sport having less traction than others in the United States.

Her teammate Ariana Ramsey wants to follow a similar path in Paris, hoping the four videos she will be producing each day will build her online persona and help with her ambition to one day start her own athletic apparel brand.

"It is so much pressure because there's only so much you can really plan for," she told Reuters.

"I can make a list of content ideas and try and execute them there, but it's going to be more of a matter of like what is going on in the time? What can I capture? What's relevant?"

Like many other Olympians who work second or even third jobs, Ramsey has used social media to supplement her income, earning one-off deals with brands and charging about $100 for an Instagram Reel or $50 for an Instagram story post.

In years past, athletes like Ramsey might have needed a manager to negotiate deals with brands. Now, a company will reach out directly to strike a deal.

"This is a whole second job," said Ramsey, who also competed in Tokyo.

Athletes do not have to be among the top echelons of fame to gain traction online, Kate Johnson, Google's global marketing director, sports, entertainment, and content