Olympians post about sunsets and weather while in Howard Springs
Australia’s Olympic superstars are sharing insights into their stay at Howard Springs to hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram.
Northern Territory
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AUSTRALIA’S Olympic superstars quarantining at Howard Springs are showcasing Darwin’s stellar weather and enviable sunsets, with a local academic saying the exposure will have enormous benefits for the Territory.
On Tuesday the first charter flight for the nation’s Olympic cohort landed at Darwin Airport, before athletes were ferried to Howard Springs to begin two weeks of quarantine.
Swim stars Bronte Campbell, Ariarne Titmus and Chelsea Hodges were among Olympians sharing insights into their stay at Howard Springs to their hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram. Campbell showcased the warm weather and blue skies from the balcony of her donga, also capturing the Top End’s sunsets alongside Hodges.
Sensation Titmus snapped the athletes getting ready for their first Covid-19 test, while Rugby Sevens star Charlotte Caslick showed followers how she was keeping fit in quarantine by skipping on the balcony of her donga.
Swimmer Emily Seebohm had a quarantine question-and-answer session with her more than 73,000 followers, with an upcoming video blog from the star anticipated to feature footage of Howard Springs.
The athletes have hundreds of thousands of followers between them, with Titmus clocking up 132,000+, Caslick 125,000+ and Campbell 78,900+.
BMX gold medallist Logan Martin showed snaps to more than 433,000 follows of him admiring his medal and drinking a coffee on his balcony.
The stars also continued to support their fellow athletes still in Tokyo, with Campbell and Seebohm posting about cheering on teammates from the comfort of their dongas.
Other athletes in Howard Springs include swimmers David Morgan and Kiah Melverton, sprint superstar Rohan Browning, boxer Alex Winwood and rugby players Emma Tonegato and Sharni Williams.
Charles Darwin University senior lecturer in marketing Rajeev Sharma said the social media exposure had immeasurable worth for the Northern Territory.
“This is a by-product which is hard to put a dollar figure on but it’s huge. Promotion by association,” Dr Sharma said. “No one is paying for this but the positive impact it generates for Darwin as a destination and the NT as a tourist destination is enormous.
“These kinds of unsolicited, positive images can play an extremely important role in promoting a place as a positive destination for tourism, for travel and possible as a potential place for seeking employment or residence.
“It’s good exposure for the NT but Australia as a whole because in these difficult times, when everyone is somehow affected by the pandemic, these kinds of positive images coming from people we hold in very high esteem for their achievements … it plays a very important role for Darwin, the NT and Australia as a whole.”
More flights carrying Australian Olympians are expected to touch down in the coming days.
Australia is fourth on the gold medal tally, behind China, the US and Japan.
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