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Attractive Olympian Final Foursome: Blond Against Blond

Matt Ufford — 2008-07-24T06:00:00 00:00

by Matt UffordOlympic 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 good news: last week's voting FINALLY produced some upsets. The bad news: it was merely because FanHouse and AOL Sports readers continued their trend of voting for whichever athlete was blonder and younger. I swear, I could put a corn-silk wig on a pineapple and it would beat Megan Fox by a 65-35 margin.

We'll get to our Final Foursome (sneak peek in the in the image above) and the voting in just a moment. First, let's look at the three upsets that gave us these Four Non-Non-Blondes.

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Attractive Olympian Bracketology: Inside the Women's Elite Eight

Matt Ufford — 2008-07-17T06:00:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian Bracketology: Inside the Women's Sexy Sixteen

Matt Ufford — 2008-07-10T06:00:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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!

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Attractive Olympian Bracket Breakdown: Female Division

Matt Ufford — 2008-07-03T08:57:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: Basketball Player and Alleged Traitor Becky Hammon

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-24T18:15:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: Team USA Pitcher and Legendary Hottie Jennie Finch

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-20T17:01:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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!

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Attractive Olympian: Bulgarian Rhythmic Gymnast Simona Peycheva

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-18T17:44:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-17T18:51:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: Breaststroker Leisel Jones

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-13T18:21:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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!

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Attractive Olympian: Argentine Field Hockey Player Luciana Aymar

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-12T12:33:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: English Princess and Equestrienne Zara Phillips

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-10T18:30:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: Coach-Punching Badminton Player Lin Dan

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-09T19:06:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: Tennis Player Yan Zi

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-06T14:15:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: Runner Mo Farah

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-05T22:50:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: Modern Pentathlon Champion Eli Bremer

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-03T12:20:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: Australian Hurdler and Sprinter Sally McLellan

Matt Ufford — 2008-06-02T18:38:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: Sprinter Kim Gevaert

Matt Ufford — 2008-05-29T18:53:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: Canadian Canoe-Kayak Racer Adam van Koeverden

Matt Ufford — 2008-05-28T18:37:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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

Matt Ufford — 2008-05-27T17:55:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

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.

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Attractive Olympian: Ukrainian Rhythmic Gymnast Anna Bessonova

Matt Ufford — 2008-05-23T14:30:00 00:00

by Matt Ufford

Filed under: Olympics, Women's Sports, 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.

Rhythmic gymnastics is relatively straightforward: competitors perform a routine with a ball, hoop, rope, set of clubs (not flaming, sadly), or ribbon, and the winner is rewarded with fresh smelt at the far end of the pool.

One rhythmic gymnast favored for a gold smelt at the Beijing Olympics is Anna Bessonova, a bronze medalist (smeldalist?) at the 2004 Games in Athens. More recently, Bessonova -- the daughter of a pro soccer player father and rhythmic gymnast mother -- won gold at the World Championships in 2007, positioning herself to take the place of retired rhythmic queen (and Vladimir Putin trophy wife) Alina Kabaeva.

More importantly, though: is Bessonova attractive? Some people's heartbeats quicken at the mere mention of the phrase "rhythmic gymnast;" others harbor lifelong grudges against Ukrainians for their traditional role as villains in Hollywood films. After the jump, weigh photographic and YouTubic evidence, then cast your vote.

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