
Last week's first-round matchups in the Attractive Olympians' women's bracket produced few surprises: just two upsets, and very few close contests.
This week's installment of A.O. Bracketology will review the narrowest victories and preview this week's battles. Can Laure Manaudou's lascivious bedroom behavior push her past popular Maria Sharapova? Can Ana Ivanovic's FHM spread help her topple superhot juggernaut Jennie Finch? Is judging the looks of athletic women while I type in my underwear affecting my ability to have a normal relationship? Your votes solve the mysteries!
LAST WEEK
#2 Stephanie Rice 54%, #15 Natasha Kai 46% -- The sexy momentum of the cop-uniform Facebook photos that launched Rice to a #2 seed clearly faded over time, as the American soccer player from Hawaii nearly notched an upset on the strength of uninhibited dance moves and a proclivity for tattoos. Most women like that end up in other professions, so more power to Kai.
#12 Anna Bessonova 52%, #5 Misty May-Treanor 48% -- Miraculously, I correctly prognosticated this as a "potential upset." It's the first time I've been right about something since Crystal Pepsi. As a nation, we're just not ready to embrace clear cola. Fortunately, we're getting closer to accepting hot tattooed women.
THIS WEEK'S SEXY 16 (vote here):
Bombshell Regional
#1 Amy Acuff vs. #9 Nastasia Liukin -- Leggy blonde American versus ultra-flexible Russian-American.
#4 Christina Jones vs. #12 Anna Bessonova -- Leggy blonde American versus ultra-flexible Ukrainian. Is there a theme here?
#3 Maria Sharapova vs. #6 Laure Manaudou -- Leggy blonde Russian (mixing it up!) looks to cruise past controversial and sex scandal-plagued French swimmer.
#2 Jennie Finch vs. #7 Ana Ivanovic -- Ivanovic breezed through her first-round match (84% to 16%), but this is a brutal, brutal matchup for the official New Hotness in women's tennis.
Girl Next Door Regional
#1 Logan Tom vs. #8 Kelly Sotherton -- With 0% of the precincts reporting, we can go ahead and call this one for Tom.
#4 Katie Mocco vs. #5 Hope Solo -- Best matchup of the week. Mocco might have a slight edge on the strength of her head shot, but Solo's higher profile and lower body density promise a close battle.
#3 Natalie Coughlin vs. #6 Alicia Sacramone -- I like Alicia Sacramone. She throws a nice punch. But Natalie Couglin is cuter than a sack of kittens.
#2 Stephanie Rice vs. #7 Becky Hammon -- Rice may have barely survived the first round, but I don't think Hammon has the chops to knock off Australia's top swimmer.
Attractive Olympians
Nastia Liukin Two-time world champion gymnast is a six-time world medalist and a four-time U.S. National Champion.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Jennie Finch: Pitched the USA to gold in 2004. She and her teammates have many fans, none more so than Terrell Owens of the Dallas Cowboys.
Mark Davis/Getty Images
Becky Hammon: The WNBA star from South Dakota will play for the Russian women's basketball team in August.
Jennifer Pottheiser, NBAE / Getty Images
Luciana Aymar Named International Hockey Federation's World Player of the Year four times ('01, '04-'05, '07), helping Argentina to a bronze and silver in the last two Olympics.
ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images
Leisel Jones Won silver in the 100-meter breaststroke in her home country of Australia in 2000, and earned bronze and silver in the 100m and 200m, respectively, in Athens.
Paul Broben/Getty Images
Yan Zi: Tennis player from China ranks 13th in the world on the WTA tour, and partnered with Zheng Jie to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006.
Michael Steele/Getty Images
Sally McLellan: Australian Hurdler and Sprinter was a semifinalist in both the 100m and 100-meter hurdles at the 2007 Worlds.
Mark Dadswell/Getty Images
Kim Gevaert: Belgian record holder in the 60m, 100m, 200m and 400m races and won a relay bronze at the 2007 Worlds.
MICHEL KRAKOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Adam van Koeverden: Canadian canoe-kayak racer won gold in the 500m and bronze in the 100m the the Athens games in 2004.
Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images
Maria Sharapova: This will be the first Olympics for the Russian tennis star, who has won three Grand Slam titles.
Brad Barket/Getty Images for IMG






























Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-10-2008 @ 6:40AM
John said...
I am in love with Ana Ivanovic. She is a natural beauty, really a class act. She has replaced Maria, Jennie and most female athletes. The good thing about it is, there are always more on the way up. We will discover that in the Olympics, and do not under rate the Chinese women or the US womens swim team. But for now, Ana, you are the one for me.
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7-10-2008 @ 7:53AM
Dani said...
Serbian Pride ............... Ana Ivanovic
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7-10-2008 @ 8:25AM
Skippy said...
Handsome fellas.
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7-10-2008 @ 12:57PM
BZ said...
Jenny is cute but Ana is absolutely gorgeous
Reply
7-10-2008 @ 1:16PM
Dr. Fello said...
Half those people should have been on the "ugliest athletes" list. If you want to see really attractive olympians, look up Nick Symmonds or Kara Goucher or Allison Felix or Sanya Richards.
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7-10-2008 @ 4:59PM
Artch said...
Jennie Finch is cute, but Ana Ivanovic is beauty, gorgeous, atractive. She's soo perfect!
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7-10-2008 @ 7:27PM
RUSSELL EWERT said...
The 41 year old female swimmer. Eyooo!!!!
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7-10-2008 @ 10:10PM
Richard J. Rosenthal said...
You can keep Jenny F., Maria S., and even though she is so gorgeous Ana I. As far as I'm concerned Martina Hingis makes them all look like BOYS. I LOVE YOU MARTINA PLEASE COME BACK TO TENNIS. I DON'T BELIEVE FOR ONE MOMENT YOU WERE TAKING DRUGS. COME BACK TO ME.
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7-10-2008 @ 10:14PM
CEZAR said...
ANNA ALL THE WAY, WHAT ABOUT SOLO FROM USA NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM?
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7-12-2008 @ 9:41AM
zia said...
hello how are you
Reply
7-12-2008 @ 10:57PM
Cecil said...
Why do you all want to say which one is the best looking?
These people are hard working and put alot of time into getting where they are . They are all good looking people and are in good shape .
Give them your support and wish the the best.
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7-14-2008 @ 12:02AM
Appalled said...
This is utterly disgusting. These are world class athletes-not objects. The sexism displayed here is embarassing. Give these women some respect for their work. It is not anyone's place to discuss their physical appearance. How dare you.
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7-14-2008 @ 9:18AM
mcran22222 said...
Are you all completely blind? Shawn Johnson doesn't even get a picture in the 92 shown? Open your eyes. You missed one of the best.
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