Speedskating has traditionally provided many of the most exciting competition and interesting storylines of the Winter Olympics.  This year, Apolo Anton Ohno, J.R. Celski and Shani Davis have been among the most discussed athletes at the Games so far.

Looking to capitalize on that, U.S. Speedskating has launched a social media campaign, “to connect with fans, capitalize on global excitement about the games and build on publicity generated by the recent high-profile sponsorship of comedian Stephen Colbert and The Colbert Nation.”

“US Speedskating is taking a leadership position by embracing opportunities to connect with fans on social networks,” said Libby Issendorf, a social media strategist with the Flint Group, a Midwest-based communications agency that has been working with the team since early January to create and implement the campaign. “This is really the first winter Olympics held since social media has been so widely adopted,” she added. “Individual athletes have typically used these media more extensively than entire teams.”

US Speedskating is using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to tell stories, showcase athletes, promote the sport and grow and engage its online fan base.

Links to follow US Speedskating online include:

Follow US Speedskating:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/usspeedskating
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/USSpeedskating
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/usspeedskating