The Winter Olympics & Instagram Are A Match Made In Heaven

Instagram is good for a lot of things. It lets us know whenever Rihanna goes swimming. It tells us when our friends are eating braised pork shanks. And, whenever there's a breathtaking sunset happening somewhere in the world, Instagram is sure to let us know.

It also gives us rare glimpses into worlds we're not normally privy to — something that's never been more apparent than now, thanks to the Winter Olympics currently unfolding in Sochi. While we've all seen the endless stream of indelible moments of triumph and heartbreak play out on television, Instagram has become our main source for seeing everything in between from a completely new persepctive. Athletes from all over the world have embraced Instagram, using it to feverishly document their Olympic experiences and the results have been nothing short of magical. From the requisite selfies in front of the Olympic flame to rare moments of introspection before an event, Sochi's athletes have raised the bar for Instagram users everywhere. Here are 20 of our favorites so far.