SA online community big on sport in 2016

Amid all the political and social upheaval, South Africa's online community sought refuge in 2016 by searching for the good news story.

That is reflective in this year's overall trending searches from South Africa, provided by Google.

The Olympic Games in Rio 2016 (third) and the Euro' 2016 Football Tournament (second) featured in the top three on the overall list, and was only eclipsed by the highly popular gaming app Pokemon Go.

The two global sporting events even outshone incoming US President Donald Trump.

Olympic 800 metre gold medallist Caster Semenya also elicited a great deal of interest and featured at ninth on the overall list as well as topping the 'Trending South African Athletes' list.

Predictably the South African national cricket team, the Proteas and CAF African Champions League winners Mamelodi Sundowns featured very highly on the athletes list, while SA’s Olympic Golden Boy Wayde van Niekerk also made the top 10.

Top trending overall searches:

1.            Pokemon Go

2.            Euro 2016

3.            Olympic Games Rio 2016

4.            Donald Trump

5.            Election Results

6.            Mandoza

7.            IEC

8.            Mall of Africa

9.            Caster Semenya

10.          US Elections 2016

Top trending South African athletes:

1.            Caster Semenya

2.            South African national cricket team

3.            Sundowns FC

4.            Hashim Amla

5.            Kagiso Rabada

6.            Mondli Cele

7.            Bongani Zungu

8.            Zamalek

9.            Faf du Plessis

10.          Wayde van Niekerk