Instagram and Spanish Elite Female Gymnasts: Longitudinalanalysis of Followers and Posts (2019-2025)

Nowadays Instagram has become one of the most widely used social networks. Sports institutions and athletes use it to promote their activities and achievements, as well as to facilitate interaction with their respective audiences. Indeed, some of these athletes have become influencers in their respective disciplines. The literature review showed studies on social networks from economic, marketing, and psychological perspectives. However, there was a paucity of research exploring its social implications. This study aimed to analyse the changes that the Instagram accounts of the most prominent and renowned gymnasts in Spain have undergone, as well as the social trends derived from them. The present study investigated the relationship between the number of followers and posts on Instagram of 29 elite Spanish gymnasts from RG and WAG, in the period from 2019 to 2025. The findings of the longitudinal study demonstrated the presence and activity of elite Spanish gymnasts on the social media platform Instagram. The data pointed out that several of the most prominent gymnasts were positioned as referents on this social network, with a considerable number of followers classifying them as macro-influencers. A comparison of the two gymnastic disciplines revealed that RG had the highest number of followers. Longitudinal analysis indicated an escalating trend in the number of followers of both gymnastic disciplines, particularly at the conclusion of the Tokyo 2021 Olympic cycle. A more comprehensive and accurate analysis of the generational gap should be developed to facilitate a better understanding of social networks in Spanish gymnastics.