Olympians of smaller sports find fame on social media

Competitions between Olympic athletes in less popular sports, such as the javelin or taekwondo, have not historically been televised for the general audiences. But thanks to social media, fans of unique games are no longer being left out in the cold.

In the 2012 London Olympics, athletes of such sports are turning to social media, like Facebook and Twitter, to broadcast their own news of the games and help generate buzz about their sport.

"The harsh reality of the situation is that they (audiences) will not see me on TV, unless I medal," says US Olympic javelin thrower Kara Patterson.

Ms Patterson adds: "But me being able to broadcast about my event gives it some coverage."

Produced by the BBC's Matt Danzico