The 8 Best Olympic Facebook Moments

The Olympics may take place in Rio, but it's no secret that for many viewers, half the appeal of the Games lies in what goes on in a more ephemeral location: Social media. There have been all kinds of Olympic moments on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat this year — the undisputed star on all fronts, of course, being Ghostbusters ' Leslie Jones for her hilarious Olympic commentary. Runners up include the U.S men's basketball team (for their adorable Vanessa Carlton singalongs), and Simone Biles (for being an all-around superhuman with a very public crush on Zac Efron).

Social media has come to play a huge role in our daily lives, and athletes are no different — they share inspirational quotes, throwbacks, and selfies wearing face masks just like any other young person. The 2014 Sochi Olympics were the most actively followed on social media at the time, but it seems likely that Rio will surpass those numbers. NBC even partnered with Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat this year to broadcast highlights of the Games, including Facebook Live coverage of many events. Thanks to social media platforms, the Games have never been more accessible, so even if you don't have a television, you probably came across the following Olympic moments on Facebook.

1. Michael Phelps Retired

It wasn't exactly unexpected, but after becoming the most decorated athlete in Olympic history, Phelps took to Facebook to announce his retirement.

2. Kygo Made A Big Announcement

On Aug. 16, the wildly popular Norwegian DJ Kygo announced that he would play at the Closing Ceremony on Sunday. "I have been fortunate to perform a lot of incredible places, but I have to say this will be the biggest performance of my career," he wrote on Facebook.

3. Will Claye Talked Proposing

Shortly after winning silver for the men's triple jump, Will Claye proposed to fellow Olympic athlete Queen Harrison. Later that day, he talked about the decision on Facebook.

4. Ricky Martin Celebrated

When tennis player Monica Puig won Puerto Rico's first ever gold, pop star Ricky Martin celebrated appropriately.

5. Team Refugees Unveiled A Mural

In a Facebook Live video last week, the Refugee Olympic Team unveiled a mural created in their honor.

6. Buzz Aldrin Made An Appearance

During the gymnastics finals, famed astronaut Buzz Aldrin shared a video of himself cheering on the Final Five.

7. Zac Efron Surprised Simone Biles

The Efron-Biles love (or, well, crush) story is the purest thing you'll ever read: Back in March, Biles declared her love for Efron on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Months later, they flirted over Twitter, Biles revealed in an interview that she kept a cardboard cutout of the movie star by her bed, there was more flirting, and next thing we all knew, Efron had surprised Biles in Rio. Just look at that photo and tell me it doesn't make your heart flutter.

8. The Rest Of The Final Five Met Zac Efron Too

...and then they promptly appeared on Facebook Live to tell the world all about it in one of the most adorable Q&As I've ever seen.

Olympics? You've been good to us.