How Twitter gave a behind the scenes look in to London 2012

Twitter has allowed a unique insight in to behind the scenes of London 2012 Credit: Martin Keene/PA Wire

The world was given a unique insight in to the London Games through social media this year. Athletes, fans, organisers and journalists all posted their thoughts and photos of the Games on the micro blogging site. From delighting in others' successes and marvelling at the weight of this year's hefty gold medals to the crushing disappointment of defeat and astonishment at bad behaviour, the site has been at the forefront of London 2012.

Records weren't only set on the track, as well as winning three gold medals, Usain Bolt set a record on Twitter with more than 1,300 tweets a second mentioning the name of the world's fastest man following his 200m final.

And off the track, Twitter gave a unique behind the scenes look in to the athletes Olympics daily life. Kim Sears, girlfriend of Olympic champion Andy Murray tweeted this photo of the couple's dogs wearing his Olympic medals.

A photo of Andy Murray's dogs wearing the tennis champion's medals posted on Twitter Credit: Maggie May / Twitter

Britain's greatest Olympian Sir Chris Hoy was among the most prolific of tweeters, turning to the site to update his 227,000 followers even when he was preparing for his sixth Olympic title.

"I know I said I was off twitter til after 2mro butthat was PHENOMENAL by Jason Kenny," he wrote of the fellow cyclist'svictory in the men's sprint.

"So happy and proud of him, well deserved mate".

Great Britain's Sir Chris Hoy congratulated fellow athletes on Twitter Credit: Stephen Pond/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Team GB's Olympic champions Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah tweeted their thanks to fans and supporters after their gold medal winning performances.

Ennis thanked her supporters on Twitter after winning Heptathlon gold Credit: Martin Rickett/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Starcount, which pulls data from 11 global social networks to chart activity, ranked the teams and found the host, Team GB, gained the most followers during the London Games, winning 50,000 Facebook fans and 22,000 Twitter followers.

Olympic bronze medalist Tom Daley tweeted both his Olympic highs and lows. A day after he and dive partner Pete Waterfield missed out on a medal, he tweeted: "Wow it hurts more today nowthat it sunk in!!" But was later able to celebrate:

Tom Daley thanked fans on Twitter after winning a bronze medal in the 10 metre dive Credit: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Away from the sport, police were called in and issued a17-year-old youth with a harassment warning after Daley was sent a malicious tweet following the defeat in the men's synchronised 10m platform diving. And Switzerland defender Michel Morganella was expelled from the Games for directing an allegedly racist insult at South Koreans.

Team GB's Paula Radcliffe took to Twitter on the last day of London 2012 to tweet about the Games' success:

But the International Olympic Committee (IOC) denied regretting dubbing the Games the social media Olympics.

Mark Adams, the IOC's communications director, said:"To be frank, it would be a little bit like King Canute if we said, 'No, these aren't the social media games', because everyone has decided they are anyway."