Rio-bound international athletes worth following

With the Summer Olympics less than 50 days away, it's the perfect time to freshen up your Twitter feed with some of the most interesting athletes from around the world. Whether you're in search of words of motivation, sports commentary or just a good laugh, this list has a little something for everyone.

1. Lolo Jones, USA, hurdles (@lolojones)

Jones is the ultimate tweeting athlete. She fills you in on her competitions, references relevant pop culture and sports topics, understands the power of a well-timed vine and knows how to make you laugh. Don't believe us? Just check out the first line of her Twitter bio to get a taste of Jones' sense of humour:

2. Tom Daley, UK, diving (@TomDaley1994)

At 22 years old, Daley is from a generation that has mastered the social media game. His Twitter is a mashup of photos, YouTube videos and conversations with his Oscar-winning fiancé Dustin Lance Black. Want tips to tackle cravings? Daley has you covered. Curious what he looked like at age 11? Daley isn't too shy to share. The Olympian will head to Rio looking to improve on his bronze-medal performance in London and you can be sure he'll tweet every moment leading up to his shot at gold.

3. Ashton Eaton, USA, decathlon and Brianne Theisen-Eaton, Canada, heptathlon (@WeAreEaton)

What's the only thing better than an Olympian on Twitter? How about two Olympians on Twitter. Eaton and Theisen-Eaton married in July 2013 and have since built a "brand and movement" together called We Are Eaton. "We live by one simple message," the pair write in their joint Twitter bio, "Endeavour. Always." Though you just missed their contest to win two tickets to join them in Rio, their account is perfect for motivational quotes and intimate moments.

4. Ryan Lochte, USA, swimming (@RyanLochte)

If you're not following Lochte on Twitter, how else would you know what his favourite Starburst flavour is? Rio will be Lochte's fourth Olympic games, and the 11-time medallist always seems to find time in his schedule to keep fans up to date. Oh, and did we mention he recently got a puppy? Go ahead, try to resist Ryan Lochte and a puppy.

5. Usain Bolt, Jamaica, track (@usainbolt)

Our Made Up Fact of the Day: Ask 10 people to name a Summer Olympic athlete and nine of them will say Usain Bolt. The 100-metre world record-holder and six-time Olympic gold medallist deserves a follow for more than just his success on the track. He also has a great sense of humour and lets that shine through on social media.

6. Cameron McEvoy, Australia, swimming (@CameronMcEvoy)

McEvoy's Twitter is everything you never knew you needed, until now. The Australian swimmer and Bond University physics student prides himself both on his athletic accomplishments and his fascination with science, unabashedly combining the two in his Tweets. His passions extend to his swim cap, which is emblazoned with his name and a gravitational wave — a tribute to Albert Einstein.

7. Samuel Mikulak, USA, artistic gymnastics (@SamuelMikulak)

Following an Olympian on Twitter is one thing, but how about the chance to actually interact with them?  Four-time men's all-around national champion Mikulak gives fans just that opportunity by encouraging them to ask questions online and then sending back answers through videos on Snapchat and Twitter.

8. Caroline Wozniacki, Denmark, tennis (@CaroWozniacki)

Wozniacki's Olympic bid remains in limbo — the tennis star didn't play the necessary qualifiers due to an ankle injury and is appealing her ineligibility — but that might be an even better reason to add her to your follow list. Stay up to date on her #RoadtoRio and maybe even get your question answered in between Wozniacki's tournaments and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model shoots.

9. Asafa Powell, Jamaica, track (@officialasafa)

Powell is an Olympian, father, accomplished 10-second barrier breaker and heartwarming tweeter. It's hard not to smile when you scroll through his timeline; his positivity and excitement for Rio is contagious. A quick follow of Powell is all you'll need to get to know the man behind the medals and his dedication to bringing home more hardware.

10. Kerri Walsh Jennings, USA, Beach Volleyball (@kerrileewalsh)

Some athletes play it safe and avoid social media, others embrace it. Three-time Olympic gold medallist Walsh Jennings is definitely of the latter variety. Not only does she tweet more than anyone else on this list, her feed is an interesting mixed bag of supporting other athletes, responding to fans and retweeting her favourite sports stories of the day. She also gets bonus points for her great use of emojis. 

The Rio Olympics is scheduled for Aug. 5 - 21 and you can catch all of the action on your newly Olympified Twitter feed or right here at cbcsports.ca.