Olympics FanHouse

Synchronized 'Homies' and Other Fun Memories From an Olympic Insomniac

Tom Herrera — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China, USA, Attractive Olympians

For most people, the dust is already settling on all the extravagant Olympic action, but this sports graveyard desk editor is still riding high from sixteen sleepless days of swimming, more swimming, and the occasional taekwondo kick to the face. You want a unique perspective on the Beijing Games? This is the place to be. Just don't expect there to be any fresh coffee.

Michael Phelps is signing an endorsement deal for IHOP somewhere in exchange for free 5,000-calorie breakfasts for life.

Usain Bolt is concocting new ways to hot dog and high-step so he'll have some records left to break in 2012.

And I'm somehow still awake watching NBC replay the closing ceremony and Turkish oil wrestling highlights (now there's the next event!)

Spending the majority of the past sixteen days engulfed in Olympic coverage wasn't always a treat, but the memories I'll take with me will last a lifetime ... or at least four more years.

The visual treasures embedded in my mind aren't what you'd expect them to be. Phelps' record-breaking eight gold medals? Definitely wasn't a cakewalk, but we saw it coming. Bolt's ridonkulous sprints to history? Dude, his last name is Bolt.

Spanish synchronized swimmers dressed in 'gangsta' outfits, on the other hand? Now there's something I'm never going to forget, or hopefully see again for the rest of my life.

So let's toss the "memorable performances" and "winners and losers" aside for now. Here are my selections for the "Sweet 16" -- the lasting images that are off the beaten path ...

China's Liu Xiang retires, entire red-wigged nation cries ... For the first time in a while, we witnessed how much one athlete can mean to an entire nation. While American media coverage was saturated with the Phelps Fest and the splice of America's Sweethearts, Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin, I found it much more fascinating to scan through the countless images of China's citizens bawling their eyes out because Xiang Liu couldn't run the men's 110-meter hurdles at the "Bird's Nest." This man represented the hope of an entire nation, but only in track and field. It's not like he was their only shot at a gold medal in Beijing (heck, they won 51 of them).

It got me thinking -- how many people in America would shed tears if Phelps pulled up lame in one of his heats, and coudn't race towards any of his eight golds? Entirely different scenarios, yes, because the US is known for dominant swimmers while Liu was China's chance to make an impact in largely unchartered territory. But I'm not sure we have one athlete that single-handedly carries the pride of our nation on his or her shoulders.

Don't ever cross a Cuban taekwondo athlete, unless you want to lose teeth ... Look, we all know taekwondo judging was on the crooked side, but that doesn't justify going brainsick and belting a judge. Cuba's Angel Matos definitely won the nomination for "Olympian Most Likely to Wind Up in a Nuthouse" when he delivered a kick reminiscent of 'Bloodsport' to the face of match referee Chakir Chelbat. Still, how many people can say they're the subject of 100 slide-by-slide YouTubes? One. That's our good friend, Jose Offerman. Oh, and Castro will defend you, for whatever that's worth.

Jamaicans know how to have a good time ... For all the terrific performances by Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser, the sad fact is that many Americans watching at home are going to come away with one thing ... they sure know how to rub it in. Bolt was even criticized by IOC prez Jacques Rogge for reveling too early in his 100-meter finish. But what about Fraser? She seemingly paraded down the track about five times as long as it took to win her 100-meter gold, even rolling around with the flag at one point. For me, the showboating won't tarnish her performance, but I did find myself saying "all right, enough already" -- and I would have still said it even if it was an American rejoicing.

George Bush knows how to have an AWESOME time ... If there was anyone on this planet who could show the Jamaicans a thing or two about the right way to party, it's definitely G.W. If you missed his hysterical jaunt to Beijing, don't fret. You can relive the power of the Bush in this gallery here. Just beware the 'chalk' pranks and volleyball butt slaps.

Paraguay's Leryn Franco didn't win a medal, but won our hearts ... In all the 'Attractive Olympian' posts we ran in FanHouse, there's wasn't one mention of this mysterious javelin beauty -- a massive oversight, to say the least. Thanks to Fourth-Place Medal for cracking the mystery and discovering her identity. To amend for not featuring her earlier, here's a gallery to make your heart sing for Paraguay. Viva la Franco!

Paraguayan Princess

BEIJING - AUGUST 19: Leryn Franco of Paraguay competes in the Women's Javelin Qualifying Round held at the National Stadium on Day 11 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 19, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Leryn Franco

Getty Images

Leryn Franco of Paraguay is pictured during the women's javelin throw qualification round at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Leryn Franco of Paraguay competes during the women's javelin throw qualification round at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Leryn Franco of Paraguay competes in the women's javelin throw qualifying round of the athletics competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the National Stadium August 19, 2008. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach (CHINA)

Reuters

Spain's synchronized 'homies' ... There are probably synchronized swimmers out there that think their sport is unfairly lambasted -- that they're just one long running joke started by Martin Short in a classic 'SNL' skit. But how do you expect to be respected when you get banned from wearing suits with lights on them, and then follow it up with a 'gangsta' encore. Tone down the makeup five shades, invest in a can of hair spray instead of hair gel, and most importantly, stop looking so freaky ... then maybe people will respect the skills behind the show. Then again, maybe it won't truly be 'synchronized swimming' if that happened. Kind of like Dennis Rodman without dyed hair, tattoos and piercings.

Ara Abrahamian doesn't need your stinking medal ... More judging controversy, and more hilarity ensues. Abrahamian left the podium immediately after receiving the bronze medal, then placed it down as if he was saying, "Pick this piece of crap up." Then it turns out that Abrahamian actually had a right to be angry, according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport --- his penalty wasn't assessed until after the round. One thing is for sure: they're definitely recycling that medal and giving it to the trap shooters.

Meet Rohullah Nikpai, the hero of Afghanistan ... Eight medals will be worth countless endorsements for Phelps, but the Afghan taekwondo bronze winner is the proud recipient of ... get this ... a new house, a Toyota sedan, and $20,000 from the owner of the country's main cellphone network. That's what you get for being the first Afghan ever to win an Olympic medal. Let's face it... legendary US swimmer Matt Biondi could walk the streets without anyone recognizing him now. But Nikpai will be swamped with love and adulation for a single bronze. And we're here quibbling about China beating us in gold count?

Germany's Thomasz Wylenzek faints in his canoe
... and in a completely unrelated incident ...
Japan's Kobayashi Hiromi faints in the pool ... Wylenzek and his teammate Christian Gille really knew what it took to get me turned on to canoes. Fainting! In the process of winning the silver medal in the double 1,000-meter final, they crashed into a buoy and Wylenzek took a dip. He turned out to be OK, but days later, a synchronized swimmer followed suit. Hiromi hyperventilated as Japan's synchronized routine ended, and the other team members climbed out of the pool more concerned about their scores. The press officer's response? "She is a very nervous athlete," he said. "She is good. Don't worry." Thanks guy. As if the sight of the wacky routine wasn't off-putting enough.

You want human rights? How about the right to wear adult diapers while buried under boxes? ... I'm a big fan of filmmaker Zhang Yimou's work. 'House of Flying Daggers' was great stuff. Performers being forced to wear adult diapers for his crafted opening ceremony is a far cry from flying daggers. Especially when it involved nearly 900 performers under 40-pound boxes for at least six hours. But hey, the Chinese invention of movable type, that involved "suffering and sacrifice" too, right?

Something called 'Dressage' will be back, but Jennie Finch will not ... So, let me get this straight. A 'sport' that involves people wearing silly top hats and suits while training horses will stick in the Olympics. But flamethrower Jennie Finch and USA softball will never be back? I wonder how NBC did on ratings and Web site searches for dressage results compared to Finch. Let's get rid of dressage and bring back softball. At least there's no mess over judges for the women.

Chinese cheerleaders have a future in sporting events ... For the most part, there was way, way too much volleyball. Yet not enough of the cheerleaders who deserved a gold medal of their own (bringing the mighty total to 52!). The rainy final was interesting to say the least, and it wasn't because Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh exchanged high fives every two seconds.

Handball is an Olympic sport? Bring it on. ... Right. So we got the endless hours of beach volleyball, swimming, and even diving from NBC's masterminds. But where was handball on prime-time display? That and BMX were two of the underrated events that deserved more coverage. They involve blood, crashes, and as the legendary 'Razor Ramon' would say, "oozing machismo" ...

Tajikistan's Dzhakhon Kurbanov bites his opponent, citizens of Kazakhstan collectively scoff at him ... I definitely think this was Mike Tyson's vicarious revenge for not getting to represent US boxing in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Maybe he coached Kurbanov on the side? The harder part of watching the bizarre infraction and subsequent disqualification was seeing them try to announce that Kazakhstan's Yerkebulan Shynaliyev won the bout.

Kim Jong Su, a sport shooter, gets booted for doping. And even horses banned too! ... We learned that the Olympics are not safe from drugs, even in the most mind-boggling scenarios. Using propanolol to pick up medals in shooting? The only thing more pathetic than that is being a team jumping horse that was suspended for a banned pain reliever. And not just any pain reliever. We're talking about Capsaicin, a derivative of chili peppers. And not just one horse -- four horses.

And that's my Sweet 16 of Beijing. I'm going to slip into a sleep coma now and dream of being struck by a javelin from Franco. Feel free to share some Olympic memories of your own with me at ThomasHerrera07 [at] aol.com.

Odd Memories From Beijing

In a shocking attack, Cuba's taekwondo athlete Angel Valodia Matos kicked match referee Chakir Chelbat in the face, resulting in a ticket out of the Games and a lifetime ban by the World Taekwondo Foundation from all future competition. Click through for more of the strange and offbeat memories from the Beijing Olympics.

Matt Dunham, AP

Synchronized swimming isn't going to be taken seriously as a sport anytime soon. The Spanish synchronized swimming team was forbidden from wearing suits with lights on them, but found another way to get flashy with 'gangsta' artwork on their new suits.

Greg Wood, AFP / Getty Images

Jamaican sprinters blazed up the track and drew some ire for their celebrations along the way. Shelly-Ann Fraser, pictured, rolled around with the flag, and Usain Bolt was criticized by IOC president Jacques Rogge for showing a lack of "respect" to other competitors.

Alexander Hassenstein, Bongarts / Getty Images

George Bush had a short stay in Beijing, but was responsible for a slew of wacky moments. From mingling with the women's beach volleyball team to getting pranked by the women's softball team, Bush was in enough snapshots to fill a 'Best Of' photo album.

Kai Pfaffenbach, Reuters

When China's Liu Xiang retired from the first round of the men's 110-meter hurdles, an entire nation's dreams were crushed, and spectators shed tears in mourning of their track and field hope.

Getty Images (2)

Is Paraguay's Leryn Franco the most attractive Olympian in the world? She didn't win a medal in Beijing, but was in the spotlight long enough for many to take notice of her stunning beauty.

Thomas Kienzle, AP

Unhappy with the judges for assessing his penalty too late, Sweden's Ara Abrahamian left the podium immediately after receiving the bronze medal he won in men's Greco-Roman wrestling and left it in the center of the mat.

Vanda Biffani, AP

Afghanistan's Rohullah Nikpai only won a bronze medal in the men's taekwondo competition, but it was enough to make him a big celebrity in his home country. His reward for being the first Afghan to win an Olympic medal? A new house, a Toyota sedan, and $20,000 from the owner of Afghanistan's main cellphone network.

Matt Dunham, AP

Winning a silver medal in the canoe double 1,000-meter men's final was far from easy for Germany's Thomasz Wylenzek and his teammate Christian Gille. After crashing into a buoy, Wylenzek fainted and had to be placed in the rescue boat.

Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP

Wylenzek wasn't the only one who fainted during competition though. Japan's Kobayashi Hiromi had to be carried out of the pool after she hyperventilated during the synchronized swimming team free routine final.

Martin Bureau, AFP / Getty Images

Synchronized 'Homies' and Other Fun Memories From an Olympic Insomniac originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympics: Allyson Felix on the Run

Elie Seckbach — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:35:00 EST

Filed under: USA, Attractive Olympians

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

In this exclusive video, we talk to one of the fastest people on the planet, Allyson Felix. Despite being a two-time World Champion, Allyson says she's much more popular overseas than here at home. In the upcoming Olympics, Allyson will represent Team USA in the 200-meter dash, where she won the Silver last time. Around 1:50 into the video find out the five things she can't live without.

Youtube link.

Olympics: Allyson Felix on the Run originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian Bracketology: Inside the Women's Elite Eight

Matt Ufford — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics

(The diverse field of semifinalists in the Bombshell Regional)

In our ongoing quest to determine this summer's hottest Olympian, last week's Sexy Sixteen matchups were even more humdrum than the first-round results, delivering zero surprises in a series of blowouts.

This week's A.O. Bracketology will recap last week's voting and preview this week's contests, including the all-swimmer battle between Natalie Coughlin and Stephanie Rice and the showdown pitting two of sports' most famous beauties: Jennie Finch and Maria Sharapova. Go HERE to vote.

LAST WEEK

Bombshell Regional
#1 Amy Acuff 75%, #8 Nastia Liukin 25%
#4 Christina Jones 71%, #12 Anna Bessanova 29%
#2 Jennie Finch 68%, #7 Ana Ivanovic 32%
#3 Maria Sharapova 92%, #6 Laure Manaudou 8%

Girl Next Door Regional
#1 Logan Tom 68%, #8 Kelly Sotherton 32%
#4 Katie Mocco 85%, #5 Hope Solo 15%
#2 Stephanie Rice 59%, #7 Becky Hammon 41%
#3 Natalie Coughlin 63%, #6 Alicia Sacramone 37%

Ugh, just look at that: chalk, chalk, chalk. No upsets, no tight contests, and blonds got a free pass in the Bombshell side of the bracket. It's either brilliant seeding by FanHouse and AOL Sports, or predictable and unimaginative input from the electorate.

Well, voters, you can't skate this week. You've got some tough decisions to make, and I'm throwing my support (the "Ufford Bump") to all the underdogs.

THIS WEEK'S ELITE EIGHT

#1 Amy Acuff vs. #4 Christina Jones -- Acuff''s Playboy cover was four years ago, and the 2-year-old has little hope of earning a medal. Jones is also blonde and hard of body, but 12 years younger.
#2 Jennie Finch vs. #3 Maria Sharapova -- Finch is married and the mother of a toddler, while Sharapova is younger, richer, and less likely to talk about Dora the Explorer. I know where my vote's going.
#1 Logan Tom vs. #4 Katie Mocco -- Logan is a dude's name. You think a dude is hotter than Katie Mocco?
#2 Natalie Coughlin vs. #3 Stephanie Rice -- Coughlin is six years older than Rice, and she's planning a wedding next spring with her longtime boyfriend. Rice has sexy Facebook photos and an Australian accent.

Attractive Olympians

Natalie Coughlin: Winner of two golds in Athens, the swimmer is the world record holder in the 100m and 200m backstroke.

Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Logan Tom: Named AVP beach volleyball rookie of the year in 2006 and was No. 91 on FHM's list of 100 most beautiful women.

Steve Grayson/Getty Images

Christina Jones: Teamed with Andrea Nott to win the gold medal in synchronized swimming at the 2007 Pan-American Games, securing a spot on the U.S. team in Beijing.

Junko Kimura/Getty Images

Amy Acuff: A two-time Olympian high jumper who models in her spare time, and has finished No. 1 in the U.S. three times.

Jamie Squire/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

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

Stephanie Rice: The Australian 200m and 400m swimmer took bronze at the worlds in 2007.

Kristian Dowling/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

Matthew Stockman/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

Attractive Olympian Bracketology: Inside the Women's Elite Eight originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian Bracketology: Inside the Women's Sexy Sixteen

Matt Ufford — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

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

Attractive Olympian Bracketology: Inside the Women's Sexy Sixteen originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian Bracket Breakdown: Female Division

Matt Ufford — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:57:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Beijing, USA, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Lest anyone think that there wasn't a point to all these Attractive Olympian posts, fear not: all of your voting in the preliminary posts has paved the way for YET MORE VOTING, as we at FanHouse have tallied up the averages of the 32 women to receive your scrutiny and used those scores to seed the ladies accordingly (For those more interested in marginalizing sexy male athletes, I direct you to this gallery).

The field is American-heavy, but our excuses, in order, are (a) this is an American blog, and (b) Americans are naturally better-looking than everyone else. Just ask the voters: eight of the top ten spots are occupied by Americans, and the populace seems to favor -- this may shock you -- blonde Caucasian women.

There are, of course, questions about the tourney's selection committee: Why choose Australian hurdler Sally McLellan (who finished dead last) and not Swedish hurdler Susanna Kallur? Why Argentine field hockey player Luciana Aymar and not her busty teammate Magdalena Aicega? Why Misty May-Treanor and not any other on a long list of beach volleyball players? The answer is simple: there's a massive sports blogging conspiracy to make sure your favorite hot athletes get ignored in this hypothetical tournament that offers no spoils to the victor whatsoever.

To vote now, go here. For a deeper look at the field, continue reading.
1. Amy Acuff, USA, High Jumper versus 16. Sally McLellan, Australia, Hurdler and Sprinter
1. Logan Tom, USA, Beach Volleyball versus 16. Stacy Dragila, USA, Pole Vault
2. Jennie Finch, USA Softball versus 15. Yan Zi, China, Tennis
2 Stephanie Rice, Australia, Swimming versus 15. Natasha Kai, USA, Soccer
3. Maria Sharapova, Russia, Tennis versus 14. Kim Gevaert, Belgium, Sprinter
3 Natalie Coughlin, USA, Swimming versus 14. Yelena Isinbayeva, Russia, Pole Vault
4. Christina Jones, USA, Synchronized Swimming versus 13. Simona Peycheva, Bulgaria, Rythmic Gymnast
4. Katie Mocco, USA, Judo versus 13. Lisa Leslie, USA, Basketball
5. Misty May-Treanor, USA, Beach Volleyball versus 12. Anna Bessonova, Ukraine, Rhythmic Gymnast
5. Hope Solo, USA, Soccer versus 12. Erin Phillips, Australia, Basketball
6. Laure Manaudou, France, Swimming versus 11. Natasha Watley, USA, Softball
6. Alicia Sacramone, USA, Gymnastics versus 11. Sue Bird, USA, Basketball
7. Ana Ivanovic, Serbia, Tennis versus 10. Blanka Vlasic, Croatia, High Jumper
7, Becky Hammon, Russia, Basketball versus 10. Luciana Aymar, Argentina, Field Hockey
8. Leisel Jones, Australia, Swimming versus 9. Nastia Liukin, USA, Gymnastics
8. Kelly Sotherton, Great Britain, Heptathlete versus 9. Emma Snowsill, Australia

Potential Upset: #5 Misty May-Treanor Versus #12 Anna Bessonova

May-Treanor cruised to a bloated overall nine-seed on the strength of name recognition and an extremely tight bikini. Don't overlook the younger Bessonova, who has a calendar that displays her proclivity for bending her legs into angles exceeding 180 degrees. That has to count for something.

Most Questionable Seeding/Most Intriguing Matchup: #7 Ana Ivanovic Versus #10 Blanka Vlasic

Ivanovic landed an unfairly low seed and should be considered a dark horse to win the whole tournament. But first, she has to get past dominant high jumper Vlasic, who may lack classic beauty but compensates with attitude to spare: sexy celebratory dances, extra piercings, a topless candid photo that surfaced in the Internet, and legs that start here and go into next week.

Additionally, both these athletes grew up during the collapse of communist Yugoslavia. Will the generations-deep hatred between Serbs and Croats affect this matchup? Well, no. That's impossibly foolish to imagine, since it's just unrelated people voting for one woman or the other. But still, it's an interesting angle.

The Matchup That Should Have Been: #7 Becky Hammon Versus #9 Nastia Liukin

Becky Hammon is the San Antonio Silver Stars guard and native Coloradoan who will play hoops for her adopted land of Russia, where she holds dual citizenship. Liukin is the daughter of two Olympic gymnasts who emigrated from the Soviet Union, and she'll represent the U.S. this summer. Alas, a hiccup in seeding made sure these two won't face off, thus depriving us of analysis on the Cold War enemies' sexy athlete exchange program.

Vote for the hottest Olympian now.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian Bracket Breakdown: Female Division originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Basketball Player and Alleged Traitor Becky Hammon

Matt Ufford — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:15:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Beijing, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Becky Hammon just wants to be an Olympian -- so badly that she'll use her dual citizenship this summer as a member of the Russian national team, an act that has led some to call her a traitor.

Quick history: Despite being an All-America at Colorado State, Becky Hammon was shunned at the 1999 WNBA draft. She joined the New York Liberty as a free agent, where she had an immediate impact off the bench but spent four years backing up Teresa Weatherspoon. After a breakout season in 2003, she was left off the Athens squad in 2004. In 2007, she was the runner-up in the WNBA MVP vote, yet her invitation to try out for the 2008 U.S. Olympic team was less than sincere.

Personally, if I'd been snubbed by one country that much, I might consider going where I felt appreciated, too -- her Russian club, CSKA Moscow, pays her in the seven figures, and she was a lock for the Olympic team there.

But let's take a step back from the politics involved and ask something more superficial: how does this dilemma affect her sex appeal? Will this affect her potential sponsorships? Might Americans actually cheer for a Russian team? Is "Becky" an acceptable Russian name? None of these answers -- and more! -- after the jump.

Hey, she seems really nice and approacha-- DIE COMMIE SCUM!!!

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	31
Hair	Blonde... but don't think we can't see those brown roots, sister
Eyes	Blue
Height	5' 6"
Weight	136
Famous skills	Scoring, ball-handling
Cuter when...	Paired with adorable puppy
Sad truth	Lists N*SYNC among favorite music artists
Unfortunate nicknames	Hammon Cheese, Hammon Deggs, Hamm-on Whole Wheat, etc.

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future of GoDaddy.com-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian: Basketball Player and Alleged Traitor Becky Hammon originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Team USA Pitcher and Legendary Hottie Jennie Finch

Matt Ufford — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Beijing, USA, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Get to Know Jennie Finch

Jennie Finch struck out 10 en route to a perfect game April 19 against Louisiana-Lafayette in a pre-Olympic exhibition tour. It's just the latest feat for Finch, who many consider the most famous softball player of all time.

Crystal LoGiudice, US Presswire

Finch had a 2-0 record in the 2004 Summer Olympics at Athens, Greece. She struck out 13 batters over eight innings in that tournament while only giving up one hit, leading the American team to the gold medal.

Dustin Snipes, Icon SMI/ZUMA Press

She appeared on the July 2005 cover of Sports Illustrated as part of the SI Summer Party edition, but turned down a lucrative contract to appear nude for Playboy, saying that she would "rather be a role model for young girls."

Sports Illustrated

Finch has also made a few reality TV performances, appearing in an episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County and as a contestant on the new celebrity edition of The Apprentice.

Tommy Baynard, NBC

Finch lasted until the fourth episode of Celebrity Apprentice, competing against other stars like country singer Trace Adkins, but she was fired in the fourth episode on January 24.

Jim Spellman, WireImage.com

Finch has made her presence felt in the big leagues, participating on the Legends Team at the 2005 Legends/Celebrity Game as part of the All-Star festivities at Comerica Park.

Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images

Finch regularly hosts TV segments for "This Week In Baseball" where she's seen pitching to major league baseball players, throwing from the same distance she would in a softball game.

Christian Petersen, Getty Images

Finch defeated Anna Kournikova in an ESPN online poll in 2003 as the most attractive female athlete. Like Kournikova, she has modeled swimwear for the SI Swimsuit Edition in 2005-06.

Albert L. Ortega, WireImage.com

Along with teammate Lisa Fernandez, left, Finch received an award for Best Female Olympic Performance at the 13th Annual ESPY Awards in 2005.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

At the 2002 ESPY Awards, Finch was considered the "best dressed" at the show. She wore a black and rhinestone evening gown she helped design, which upstaged the likes of Vivica A. Fox and supermodel Carol Alt.

Robert Mora, Getty Images

No discussion of attractive Olympians could be complete -- or perhaps even started -- without adequate mention of Team USA pitcher Jennie Finch. The former Arizona great (her number 27 was retired there in 2003) posted a 2-0 record and allowed only one hit in 13 innings during the U.S.'s gold medal run in Athens in 2004, and she'll look to duplicate that success in Beijing.

The rest you probably know: an appearance in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, her marriage to Twins pitcher Casey Daigle, a son named Ace born in 2006, TV appearances on Pros vs Joes and the celebrity edition of The Apprentice (she got fired), and regular on-camera work for ESPN.

But is she attractive? Well, yes. Definitively so. But that won't stop us from encouraging you to vote in our poll after the jump, where pleasant things like photos of her in evening wear reside. Thanks, Getty Images!

A little overdressed for the Olympics' opening ceremonies

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	27
Hair	Blonde
Eyes	Blue
Family status	MILF
Pitching since	Age 8
Hot since	[REDACTED]
Link to SI swimsuit photos	Right here
Notably, on the cover of SI	Here
Once struck out Mike Cameron	Join the club, sister

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future of GoDaddy.com-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian: Team USA Pitcher and Legendary Hottie Jennie Finch originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Bulgarian Rhythmic Gymnast Simona Peycheva

Matt Ufford — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:44:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Beijing, Europe, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Simona Peycheva established herself in rhythmic gymnastics with three gold medals at the 2001 Worlds (hoop, ball, and clubs), but her career has been plagued with injury since then. Not that those injuries have stopped her.

She broke her foot in the summer of 2002, but continued competing with the help of painkilling injections, winning two golds and a silver at the World Cup that year. She finally underwent surgery for the foot in late 2003, then recuperated in time for the Athens Games, where she finished sixth overall. Last October, she had surgery again -- this time on her spine -- but she's determined to take one more shot at Olympic gold before retiring. Pretty tough for a 23-year-old who doesn't even weigh 100 pounds.

She also happens to be pretty attractive for a 23-year-old who doesn't even weigh 100 pounds. Perhaps it's the flexibility, or maybe it's the competitive fire, but Peycheva legitimately joins the ranks of Olympic hotties. But just how hot is she? After the jump, ogle more photos and vote in our delightfully superficial poll.

That's gotta be someone else's leg.

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	23
Height	5'3"
Weight	99 lbs.
Hair	Plastered to head
Legs	Can detach from hips, move about freely
Marital status	Single
Strengths, according to Wikipedia	"Extreme flexibility, technical brilliance and ... a great audience teaser"
Yes, but what about her gymnastic strengths?	HEY-O!

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future of GoDaddy.com-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian: Bulgarian Rhythmic Gymnast Simona Peycheva originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Teenage Gymnast, Video Game Cover Model Nastia Liukin

Matt Ufford — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:51:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Beijing, USA, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Nastia Liukin's accomplishments -- and the expectations they've created -- seem almost too much for someone who turned 18 just two months ago. Although she lost most of 2007 to an ankle injury, she has still managed to win nine World Championships medals, tied with Shannon Miller for the most in U.S. history.

Nastia Liukin Photos

BOSTON - JUNE 07: Shawn Johnson (L) and Nastia Liukin prepare for the uneven parallel bars during day 3 of the Visa Championships at Agganis Arena June 7, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BOSTON - JUNE 07: Nastia Liukin finishes her vault during day 3 of the Visa Championships at Agganis Arena June 7, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BOSTON - JUNE 07: Nastia Liukin competes on the uneven parallel bars during day 3 of the Visa Championships at Agganis Arena June 7, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BOSTON - JUNE 07: Nastia Liukin competes on the uneven parallel bars during day 3 of the Visa Championships at Agganis Arena June 7, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BOSTON - JUNE 07: Nastia Liukin competes on the uneven parallel bars during day 3 of the Visa Championships at Agganis Arena June 7, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BOSTON - JUNE 07: Nastia Liukin competes on the balance beam during day 3 of the Visa Championships at Agganis Arena June 7, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BOSTON - JUNE 07: Nastia Liukin competes on the balance beam during day 3 of the Visa Championships at Agganis Arena June 7, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BOSTON - JUNE 07: Nastia Liukin competes in the floor exercise during day 3 of the Visa Championships at Agganis Arena June 7, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BOSTON - JUNE 07: (L-R) Nastia Liukin poses with the silver medal, Shawn Johnson poses with the gold medal and Chellsie Memmel poses with the bronze medal after day 3 of the Visa Championships at Agganis Arena June 7, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Perhaps it's her pedigree. Both of her parents were world-class gymnasts who emigrated from Russia when she was a toddler. They opened a gymnastics training center in Texas, and Nastia began tumbling by age three. Now, finally age-eligible for the Olympics, will anchor a U.S. team that is expected to challenge the team of her parents' homeland and the other front-runners.

Of course, successful athletes who also happen to be attractive young blonde women are afforded additional opportunities in America, and Nastia enjoys sponsorship from AT&T, adidas, and others. You may also have seen her cameo in 2006's box-office non-smash Stick It, and she also graces the cover of the Beijing 2008 video game for Xbox (see it here). Let's hope there's no Madden-like curse for Olympians.

Breaking Down the Basics

Full name	Anastasia Valeryevna Liukin
Age	18
Hair	Blonde
Eyes	Blue
Height	5'3"
Education	Student at SMU
MySpace page	Far less annoying than average teenager's
Favorite TV shows	Gossip Girl, The Hills (just as annoying as average teenager's)

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future of GoDaddy.com-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian: Teenage Gymnast, Video Game Cover Model Nastia Liukin originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Breaststroker Leisel Jones

Matt Ufford — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:21:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Beijing, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Leisel Jones has been a member of the Australian national swimming team since she was 14. At 15, she shocked the world by earning silver in the 100-meter breaststroke in front of the home crowd at the 2000 Olympics, but four years later -- as the prohibitive favorite in the 100m and 200m -- she came up with only bronze and silver, respectively.

Despite two Olympics without an individual gold medal (she did earn one as a member of Australia's 4x100 medley relay n 2004), Jones may be the most dominant breaststroker in history. She set her first world record in 2003, and she now owns nine of the ten fastest times in both the 100m and 200m. And she's heading into Beijing with times close to her records.

But enough talk about Jones's "athletic ability" and "place in history." What we really care about are her physical attributes, am I right? Hey everyone, come quick! We've got a blonde Australian with a beautifully toned body! Let's look at more pictures of her and vote on how attractive she is!

"You look lovely tonight, Miss Jones. What's that scent you're wearing? Residual chlorine in your skin, you say? Marvelous!"

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	22
Height	5' 8"
Weight	145
Hair	Blonde
Eyes	Blue
Relationship status	Engaged to Aussie Rules star Marty Pask
Sad family story that will be aired in soft focus on NBC	Parents' divorce resulted in estrangement from father, who now has cancer
Good-looking as a mermaid?	Yes
Too much pool time?	Abundance of wet shirts says yes

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future of GoDaddy.com-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian: Breaststroker Leisel Jones originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Argentine Field Hockey Player Luciana Aymar

Matt Ufford — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Beijing, Americas, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Luciana Aymar is arguably the best field hockey player in the world. As the only player to ever win the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) World Player of the Year Award four times ('01, '04-'05, '07), she may even be the best field hockey player ever.

An attacker, she provides most of the offense for an Argentine team that finished with bronze and silver medals in the last two Olympic Games, drawing comparisons to countryman and soccer legend Diego Maradona. Except, you know, she doesn't struggle with obesity or do mountains of cocaine.

But let's get to what really matters. After all, what good is being the best player your sport has ever seen if the opposite sex doesn't find you alluring? After the jump, see more of Luciana and vote in our ever-superficial Attractive Olympians poll.

Give us the "Brandi Chastain"!

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	30
Height	5' 7"
Weight	132
Arms	Perfectly toned
Legs	Perfectly toned
Uniform skirt	Alluringly snug
Minidresses	Very alluringly snug
Nickname	"La Maga" (The Magician")
Possible origin	Moving so well in such tight clothing not possible without the dark arts

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future of GoDaddy.com-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian: Argentine Field Hockey Player Luciana Aymar originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: English Princess and Equestrienne Zara Phillips

Matt Ufford — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Beijing, Europe, Attractive Olympians

UPDATE: A day after this was published, Zara Phillips withdrew from the Olympic team due to an injury to her horse.

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Zara Phillips (pictured with cousin Prince Harry) has had a pretty rough life. The granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, she's only twelfth in line to England's throne. That's practically the plot set-up for King Ralph. Somehow, though, the attractive and unfathomably wealthy blonde princess has fought through this hardship to attain success in the world of sports.

Phillips is the reigning World Eventing Champion, and she's looking to defend her crown (oh yes, you'll take these puns and you will like them) this summer in Beijing when she competes as a member of England's equestrian team. Also, she was named Celebrity Hat Wearer of the Year. So she's got that going for her, which is nice.

But can a beautiful princess who is better than anyone else in the world at her sport really expect to become the first member of England's royal family to endorse a product? Well, yes: she already did that when she became the face of Land Rover. That kind of makes our discussion moot, but you can still see more of her after the jump.

Man, I'd love to take that filly for a wild ride.

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	27
Hair	Blonde
Bosom	Ample
Wild past	Includes a tongue ring and partying with friends in other countries
Marital status	Engaged -- wedding next spring
At least the guy is a wuss, right?	Nope: rugby player Mike Tindall
Lineage	Both parents were Olympian equestrians, as well

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future of GoDaddy.com-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Hat tip: Sports by Brooks via With Leather

Attractive Olympian: English Princess and Equestrienne Zara Phillips originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Coach-Punching Badminton Player Lin Dan

Matt Ufford — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:06:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

China's Lin Dan is the number one badminton player in the world, and he's got a top-ranked temper to match. The 24-year-old has won back-to-back World Championships in the sport, but his high-profile success hasn't come without incidents.

In 2006, an on-court outburst regarding officiating and his opponent's provocations nearly turned violent, leading South Korea's coach to call him "rude and immoral" and "ill-cultured." Two months ago, Lin found himself in hot water again after he punched his coach, 2004 gold medalist from the Sydney Games Ji Xinpeng.

Does a fiery temper and a brash demeanor make an athlete sexy? You bet it does! But how sexy? After the jump, check out photographic evidence of Lin mixing it up with Korean officials, then vote in our not-at-all superficial Attractive Olympian poll to see just how much the ladies like bad boys.

This photo's official description: "Dan Lin [note: name Westernized - FH] of China quarrels with Korea's coach during a men's singles final against Korea's Lee Il-Hyun at the 2008 Yonex Korea Open Badminton championships on January 27, 2008 in Seoul, South Korea." Lin lost the match, but gained bonus points for being the sport's only badass.

Breaking Down the Basics

Height	5'10"
Weight	160
Nickname	Super Dan
Not to be confused with	Superman, Super Dave
Demeanor	Brash, edgy, defiant ... not the best communist out there
Girlfriend?	Fellow champion badminton player Xie Xingfang
Has blog?	Yes, but -- surprisingly -- it's written in Chinese

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future a of Calvin Klein underwear-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian: Coach-Punching Badminton Player Lin Dan originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Tennis Player Yan Zi

Matt Ufford — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Tennis, Women's Sports, Beijing, China, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Yan Zi is ranked just 42nd on the WTA tour, but that doesn't mean she can't come away with a medal at this year's Summer Olympics.

She also happens to be an accomplished doubles player, where she's ranked 13th in the world. In fact, she and partner Zheng Jie won the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006, and if they're going to regain a world title, a good place to do it would be in front of a passionate home crowd in Beijing.

Yan also has a trait common to many women tennis players: she can be admired for how she looks in a tennis skirt as much as for how she plays in one. Of course, it would be tremendously shallow to judge Yan on her beauty ... which is why we've put the Attractive Olympians poll after the jump. We wouldn't want anything superficial to lessen the noble front page.

With doubles partner Zheng Jie (right), who also happens to be attractive

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	23
Height	5' 7½"
Weight	121
Playing tennis since	Age 6
Pet	Cat named Mi Mi
Enjoys	Lord of the Rings movies; "handsome actors"
Obvious joke	For someone named Yan, not very boring

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future of GoDaddy.com-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian: Tennis Player Yan Zi originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Runner Mo Farah

Matt Ufford — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 22:50:00 EST

Filed under: Track and Field, Europe, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Mo Farah immigrated to the United Kingdom from Somalia in 1993 at the age of ten. A gym teacher recognized his physical potential, and within a few years he was winning national competitions at a high school level.

These days, Farah is an accomplished distance runner training at an elevation of 7,000 feet in Arizona. He finished sixth at the 2007 World Championships in the 5,000 meters, and though he qualified for Beijing in both the 5K and 10K, he will compete only in the former in order to focus on winning a medal for his adopted country.

But let's be honest: none of his success matters unless an Internet poll of anonymous readers declares him attractive. But where might we find such a valuable addition to an enlightened discussion of sports? After the jump, of course.

Farah... Farah... Storms are brewing in your eyes.

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	25
Height	5'8"
Weight	143
Frame	Lean
Eyes	Painstakingly sensitive
Emigrated Somalia	1993
Climate in Somalia in 1993	Warlords, militias, starvation, U.N. intervention, Battle of Mogadishu
Good time to leave?	Yeah, kinda

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future a of Calvin Klein underwear-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian: Runner Mo Farah originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 22:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Modern Pentathlon Champion Eli Bremer

Matt Ufford — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Track and Field, USA, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

The modern pentathlon was created in the early 20th century specifically for the Olympics, and its five events are meant to showcase the talents of the ideal soldier of the time: shooting, fencing, swimming, horseback riding, and running. So it's no surprise that America's best competitor -- and best hope for an Olympic medal in the event since 1960 -- comes from our military.

Eli Bremer graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2000, and was a favorite to win a medal in Athens until a broken foot kept him from competing. Now a captain in the reserves, Bremer won gold at last year's Pan-Am Games, but the truest test will be how he performs against the Eastern European monsters of the sport.

So, he's clean-cut, a serviceman, and excellent at his sport. But is he good-looking enough to catapult into the riches of major corporate sponsorship? After the jump, weigh more evidence of Bremer's looks and help us reach a superficial verdict by voting in our poll.

The air pistol really detracts from his Dirty Harry impression.

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	30ish
Hair	Blonde
Eyes	Blue
Marital status	Married to wife Cami
Blogger?	Yes, the informative, well-written and frequently updated Eli Bremer Pentathlon.
Well-connected family member	Uncle L. Paul Bremer, former U.S. envoy to Iraq
Regrets about not joining the Marine Corps instead?	Probably

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future a of Calvin Klein underwear-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian: Modern Pentathlon Champion Eli Bremer originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Australian Hurdler and Sprinter Sally McLellan

Matt Ufford — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:38:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Track and Field, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Sally McLellan is just 21 but already represents some of Australia's brightest hopes for the track and field events this summer Beijing. A semifinalist in both the 100 meters and the 100-meter hurdles at the '07 Worlds in Osaka, she will focus her efforts on the hurdles this summer in an attempt to improve her standing.

Realistically, does she stand a chance to win a medal? Probably not, but a higher-than-expected finish and a bright future in track would go nicely with McLellan's blond hair, long legs, and toothy smile -- all attributes that advertisers (and men) seem to favor.

I certainly support McLellan's quest for gold and golden opportunities, but I'm just a rogue blogger, a maverick outsider who happens to like young, fit, blond Australian women. That's why I leave it to you, FanHouse readers, to vote in the Attractive Olympian poll. Weigh more evidence (and weigh in with your vote) after the jump.

"How 'bout the power of flight? That do anything for ya?"

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	21
Height	5'4"
Weight	145
That is a densely built woman	It's all muscle
Need seven minutes of her being interviewed?	Right here
Precognitive quirk	Can predict record-breaking and hamstring-tearing races
What, no telekinesis?	Too bad -- it'd be handy
Australian for "hurdle"?	"Hurdle." Okay, so no endorsement deal with Foster's

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future a of GoDaddy.com-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

(Hat tip: YardBarker)

Attractive Olympian: Australian Hurdler and Sprinter Sally McLellan originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Sprinter Kim Gevaert

Matt Ufford — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:53:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Track and Field, Europe, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Kim Gevaert -- pictured at right with an invisible jump rope -- will never be an Olympic champion. Although the Belgian-record holder in the 60m, 100m, 200m and 400m races owns several golds from the European Championships and a relay bronze from the 2007 Worlds in Osaka, the reality is that she simply isn't fast enough to stand atop the podium by herself.

This is neither a denunciation of her skills nor a reason she can't make a living as a sprinter. Regardless of where she finishes in the pack this summer, Gevaert will draw additional attention in Beijing, and athletes who get extra attention for being attractive get extra dollars (or euros, as the case may be) to endorse products.

After all, if you owned a company that made small tortilla-like foodstuffs, wouldn't you want a spokeswoman who could do this? Personally, I would. But here at FanHouse, we value your opinion, so participate in our Attractive Olympian poll after the pictures below of women kissing Gevaert.

A Belgian delicacy that tastes at least as good as the waffles.

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	29
Hair	Brown
Eyes	Brown
Look	Has that Franka Potente "obviously European" thing going on
Attractive friends?	Check
Gratuitous waffle joke	Already made in the caption above
Ready-made Nike ad	Made possible by thighs, Lycra
Additional photo galleries	Here and here

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future a of GoDaddy.com-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

(Hat tip: Sports by Brooks)

Attractive Olympian: Sprinter Kim Gevaert originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 29 May 2008 18:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: Canadian Canoe-Kayak Racer Adam van Koeverden

Matt Ufford — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:37:00 EST

Filed under: Outdoor Sports, Americas, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Adam van Koeverden won two canoeing medals -- gold in the 500-meter and bronze in the 1000m -- at the Athens Olympics in '04, surprising many sports fans who didn't even realize medals were awarded for canoeing (commonly known by the less woodsy-sounding term "flatwater racing"). As the Beijing Games near, he represents one of Canada's brightest medal hopes.

Van Koeverden was named Canada's Athlete of the Year in 2004, was the most dominant athlete in his sport in 2007, and -- just for good measure -- finished at the top of his class at McMaster University.

And oh yeah, he's considered attractive, if you're into that whole "ruggedly handsome college valedictorian world-class athlete" cliche. But how attractive? After the jump, weigh more evidence of his rippling biceps -- again, IF you like that kind of thing -- and have your voice heard in FanHouse's Attractive Olympian poll.

"Stroke! Stroke! Stroke!" --Oh, get your mind out of the gutter.

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	26
Height	5'11"
Weight	187
Home province	Ontario
Hobbies	Cliff jumping, mountain biking, snowboarding, injecting adrenaline DIRECTLY INTO HIS VEINS
Does he blog?	Yes, for Sportsnet
Different names for his sport	"Canoe-Kayak," "Sprint Kayak," "Flatwater Racing," "Please Don't Make Fun of Canoes"

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future a of Calvin Klein underwear-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Attractive Olympians

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

Laure Manaudou: The French swimmer and Gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle holds the world records for the 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle.

Getty Images

Anna Bessonova Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast won bronze at the 2004 games and earned gold at the World Championships in '07.

TATYANA MAKEYEVA/AFP/Getty Images

Demetrius Andrade The reigning world AIBA boxing champion at 152 pounds, Andrade was a Golden Glove winner in '06 and '07.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Alicia Sacramone: A member of the United States gymnastics team since 2003, Sacramone has earned seven medals from three world championships.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic: Serbian tennis player reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007 and the 2008 Australian Open final.

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

Apolo Anton Ohno: U.S. short track speed skater won TV's Dancing With the Stars, and has earned five Olympic medals, including gold in the 500m at the 2006 games.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Kris Freeman: Competed for the U.S. Ski Team in cross country at the 2002 and '06 games, finishing 14th in Salt Lake City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

James Blake: No. 9 pro tennis player in the world says he plans to represent the U.S. at the Beijing games.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Attractive Olympian: Canadian Canoe-Kayak Racer Adam van Koeverden originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 28 May 2008 18:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attractive Olympian: British Heptathlete Kelly Sotherton in Risque Photo Shoot?

Matt Ufford — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Women's Sports, Track and Field, Europe, Attractive Olympians

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

Kelly Sotherton -- pictured here with frequent heptathlon rival Carolina Kluft of Sweden -- came from nowhere to be the surprise bronze medalist at the 2004 Games in Athens. Since then she's added a gold at the '06 Commonwealth Games and another bronze at the '07 Worlds in Osaka.

More recently, the leggy track and field star revealed to the Daily Mail that a revealing photo shoot is on the way:

"Wait until you see these pictures. They're risky! I'm not saying what I'm wearing in the shoot but it's not very much... They are athletic shots but, um, I haven't got many clothes on. You'll have to wait until the summer. I'm not saying any more."

Is this the right move for this particular Olympian? After the jump, weigh more evidence of Sotherton in action, then weigh in on our Attractive Olympian poll.

Hottest Female Olympians

Julia Mancuso American alpine skier won gold in 2006, and is the first-ever "Lang Girl Athlete."

Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Lauryn Williams The 2007 World Silver Medalist in the 100m, also won silver at the 2004 Olympics.

Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for WSF

Allison Baver A short track speed skater for the U.S. who finished seventh at the 2006 Olympics.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Amanda Beard This year's new GoDaddy.com girl appeared in Playboy in 2007, and took home gold in the 200m breaststroke in Athens.

Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images

Tanith Belbin Partnered with Benjamin Agosto for a silver medal in ice dancing in 2006.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Liu Xuan In 2000 became China's first Olympic champion on the balance beam.

China Photos/Getty Images

Sue Bird Has won gold, a WNBA championship and two national titles on the hardwood. In 2004 she became the cover model for Nike Town in Seattle.

Harry How/Getty Images

Amy Acuff A two-time Olympian high jumper who models in her spare time, and has finished No. 1 in the U.S. three times.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Torah Bright Australia's Hottest Female Athlete finished fifth at the 2006 Olympics and earned a gold medal at Winter X Games 11.

Adam Pretty/Getty Images

Vonetta Flowers First African-American to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics, teamming with bobsled partner Jill Bakken at the 2002 games.

Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Breaking Down the Basics

Age	31
Height	5'11"
Weight	145
Eyes	Blue
Celebrated feature	Legs
Source of ridicule from tabloids	"Wobbly bum"
Worst Event	Javelin
Best Event	Hugging competitors after a race (*Note: personal opinion)

Presentation of Medals

*When judging, assume that Gold suggests a future a of GoDaddy.com-level of endorsements, and Bronze points toward appearances in local circulars.

Latest Olympics Photos

WUHAN, CHINA - MAY 31: (CHINA OUT) Policemen maintain orders as spectators cheer during the Wuhan leg of Beijing Olympic torch relay on May 31, 2008 in Wuhan of Hubei Province, China. Tens of thousands of people have gathered on streets and roads to watch the torch relay. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

Getty Images

WUHAN, CHINA - MAY 31: (CHINA OUT) Spectators cheer during the Wuhan leg of Beijing Olympic torch relay on May 31, 2008 in Wuhan of Hubei Province, China. Tens of thousands of people have gathered on streets and roads to watch the torch relay. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

Getty Images

WUHAN, CHINA - MAY 31: (CHINA OUT) A building is decorated with Chinese national flags during the Wuhan leg of Beijing Olympic torch relay on May 31, 2008 in Wuhan of Hubei Province, China. Tens of thousands of people have gathered on streets and roads to watch the torch relay. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Davor Dominikovic of Croatia jumps during their men's 2008 Beijing Olympics qualification handball match against Russia in the Adriatic port of Zadaron May 31, 2008. REUTERS/Stringer (CROATIA)

Reuters

Egor Evdokimov (R) of Russia shoots near Ljubo Vukic (2nd L) of Croatia during their men's 2008 Beijing Olympics qualification handball match in the Adriatic port of Zadaron May 31, 2008. REUTERS/Stringer (CROATIA)

Reuters

Alexey Rastvortsev of Russia shoots over Petar Metlicic (19) of Croatia during their men's 2008 Beijing Olympics qualification handball match in the Adriatic port of Zadaron May 31, 2008. REUTERS/Stringer (CROATIA)

Reuters

Attractive Olympian: British Heptathlete Kelly Sotherton in Risque Photo Shoot? originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 27 May 2008 17:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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