Skip to content

Top Navigation

PEOPLE.com PEOPLE.com
    • All News
    • Coronavirus
    • Crime
    • Human Interest
    • Politics
    • Heroes
    • Stories to Make You Smile
    • All Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Country
    • Awards
    • Sports
    • Theater
    • Books
  • Royals
    • All Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
    • Health
    • Parents
    • Home
    • Pets
    • Food
    • Tech
    • Travel
  • PeopleTV
    • All Shopping
    • People Tested
    • All Podcasts
    • Me Becoming Mom
    • People Every Day
    • PEOPLE in the '90s

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
Login
Subscribe

Explore PEOPLE.com

PEOPLE.com PEOPLE.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Rita Moreno Says She Dated Elvis as Revenge Against Cheating Ex Marlon Brando: 'It Was Wonderful'

      Rita Moreno Says She Dated Elvis as Revenge Against Cheating Ex Marlon Brando: 'It Was Wonderful'

      Rita Moreno revealed she dated Elvis Presley to get back at her ex-boyfriend Marlon Brando for cheating on her Read More
    • Machine Gun Kelly Poses with Daughter Casie at the 2021 American Music Awards

      Machine Gun Kelly Poses with Daughter Casie at the 2021 American Music Awards

      The American Music Awards, hosted by Cardi B, are broadcasting live from Los Angeles on Sunday Read More
    • Jennifer Lopez Sings from the Heart in New 'On My Way' Music Video

      Jennifer Lopez Sings from the Heart in New 'On My Way' Music Video

      Jennifer Lopez released the official music video for her song "On My Way," which is featured in her upcoming rom-com Marry Me Read More
  • News

    News

    See All News
    Stars Who Opened Up About Their Sexuality and Gender Identity in 2021

    Stars Who Opened Up About Their Sexuality and Gender Identity in 2021

    • Coronavirus
    • Crime
    • Human Interest
    • Politics
    • Heroes
    • Stories to Make You Smile
  • Entertainment

    Entertainment

    See All Entertainment
    The Best (& Worst) Jeopardy! Celebrity Guest Host Show Moments

    The Best (& Worst) Jeopardy! Celebrity Guest Host Show Moments

    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Country
    • Awards
    • Sports
    • Theater
    • Books
  • Royals
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    See All Lifestyle
    Billie Eilish Ditches Her Blonde Hair for Brunette Tresses: 'Miss Me?'

    Billie Eilish Ditches Her Blonde Hair for Brunette Tresses: 'Miss Me?'

    The singer revealed that she dyed her hair dark brown after debuting her blonde look earlier this year
    • Style
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
    • Health
    • Parents
    • Home
    • Pets
    • Food
    • Tech
    • Travel
  • PeopleTV
  • Shopping

    Shopping

    See All Shopping
    • People Tested
  • Podcasts

    Podcasts

    See All Podcasts
    Sen. Tammy Duckworth Calls Going Back to Work After Having a Miscarriage 'Inhumane'

    Sen. Tammy Duckworth Calls Going Back to Work After Having a Miscarriage 'Inhumane'

    "Even though we cleared my calendar for the day, I was still on the phone. There was no resting, you just kept on going," Tammy Duckworth says on an episode of PEOPLE's podcast Me Becoming Mom
    • Me Becoming Mom
    • People Every Day
    • PEOPLE in the '90s

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. People.com
  2. Celebrity
  3. 12 Hot Female Olympians

12 Hot Female Olympians

Let the London games begin! Slide to see why these medal contenders are bringing the heat on and off the field
By People Staff Updated July 25, 2012 06:00 AM
Skip gallery slides
FB Tweet

1 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

ALEX MORGAN, U.S.

ALEX MORGAN, U.S.
Credit: Alex Livesey/FIFA/Getty

Sport: Soccer
Her 2008 Women's World Cup performance earned her soccer's Bronze Shoe and Silver Ball – and fans worldwide. Known for her trademark pink hair bands and ability to both score and assist, the 23-year-old Californian was the No. 1 WPS draft pick when she went pro and was up for an ESPY award for best breakthrough athlete. Off-field, she's earned even more fans when she posed in a soccer ball-themed "swimsuit" made of body paint in the 2012 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

1 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

MARIA SHARAPOVA, RUSSIA

MARIA SHARAPOVA, RUSSIA
Credit: Christophe Ena/AP

Sport: Tennis
If you don't know who Maria Sharapova is, you've probably been living in Middle Earth. The 25-year-old Russian-born tennis champ as renowned for her looks as her four Grand Slam singles titles (the most recent at this year's French Open) is looking to add an Olympic gold to her already-crowded mantel. "It will be surreal," she said of playing in London for an Olympic medal rather than the Wimbledon Rosewater Dish. "It's just a unique opportunity for all of us, but I'm extremely thrilled that it's at Wimbledon. It's my favorite place to play tennis." Rightfully so: She earned her first Gram Slam title at age 17 at the All England Club.

2 of 12

3 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

LOLO JONES, U.S.

LOLO JONES, U.S.
Credit: Eric Gay/AP

Sport: Track and Field
Jones overcame a tough childhood to become an Olympic medal-contending track star. Still, the Iowa-born stunner – who many thought would take home gold in the 100-meter hurdle in Beijing – recently revealed that there's something even more trying than preparing for the Olympics: "If there's virgins out there, I'm going to let them know, it's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life – harder than training for the Olympics, harder than graduating from college, has been to stay a virgin before marriage," the 29-year-old told HBO's Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel in May. "I've been tempted. I've had guys tell me … 'Hey, you know, if you have sex, it'll help you run faster.'"

3 of 12

Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

4 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

NATALIE COUGHLIN, U.S.

NATALIE COUGHLIN, U.S.
Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty

Sport: Swimming
The 11-time Olympic medalist, who made history by becoming the first woman to win six medals in a single Olympics and broke an additional record by becoming the first woman to win the gold twice in consecutive Olympics for the 100-meter backstroke, picked up a bronze in the 4x100 relay. Off the blocks, Coughlin put her hard-earned body on display on the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars and in the 2012 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, a personal highlight. "When I'm old and wrinkly and out of shape, I'll be very, very proud of that," said the 29-year-old.

4 of 12

Advertisement

5 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

JESSICA ENNIS, U.K.

JESSICA ENNIS, U.K.
Credit: Ian Walton/Getty

Sport: Track and Field
Considered one of Britain's best chances for a gold (and one of the top female athletes in the world), the 26-year-old heptathlete is Europe's current champion and a former world champion in the multidisciplinary event. Ennis is also one of only 10 women in history who have been able to achieve a high jump a foot over her own height – 5 ft., 5 in. Ennis, who had to sit out of the 2008 Olympics due to injury, isn't letting anything distract her from stepping onto the winner's podium, even putting her wedding on hold until after the Olympics.

5 of 12

6 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

DARYA KLISHINA, RUSSIA

DARYA KLISHINA, RUSSIA
Credit: Imago/ZUMA

Sport: Track and Field
Though her looks have earned her a modeling career (she's a brand ambassador for Seiko), the blonde long jumper from Moscow is not just a pretty face. Klishina, 21, won a bevy of distinct junior European tournaments before racking up a gold medal at the 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships, and again at the European Under-23 Championships the same year. And the statuesque stunner, who just signed with global marketer IMG Worldwide, stresses that her sport always comes first: "I would never miss a single training for a photo shoot or an interview," she said. "Athletics is a priority for me."

6 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

7 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

ALLYSON FELIX, U.S.

ALLYSON FELIX, U.S.
Credit: Andy Lyons/Getty

Sport: Track and Field
Twice the winner of Olympic silver for the 200 meter and a gold medalist in the 4 x 400 meter relay in Beijing, Felix, 26, holds the distinction of being the only woman to win gold three times at the World Athletics Championships in the event. With the London within sight, the USC grad has made it known her goal is to win an individual gold in her signature event – the 200 meter. "I've done all this other stuff," she told Piers Morgan on July 4. "But this is the one missing thing, and it's the thing that I really want."

7 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement

8 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

ROMY TARANGUL, GERMANY

ROMY TARANGUL, GERMANY
Credit: Newscom]

Sport: Judo
Though she only stands 5 ft., 3 in. tall, the 24-year-old German native packs a wallop, representing her country in judo in the half-lightweight class. She can boast silver and bronze medals in world and European championships, but in London she's seeking to make up for walking away from Beijing empty-handed in 2008. She came in a disappointing ninth at those Olympic Games, but still won a lot of exposure – she posed nude in German edition of Playboy afterward.

8 of 12

Advertisement

9 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

SWIN CASH, U.S.

SWIN CASH, U.S.
Credit: Gary Dineen/NBAE/Getty

Sport: Basketball
A five-time WNBA All-Star, this 6 ft., 1 in. forward for the Chicago Sky played on the U.S. women's basketball team that won gold at the 2004 Athens Games, but sat out of Beijing four years later due to injury. When Cash, 32, was selected for the U.S. national team in March, she heaped praise upon the team's coach, Geno Auriemma, who also coached her at UConn: "I'm looking forward to finishing off my USA Basketball career with one of the coaches who helped get me here, from pushing me in college all those years and really giving me encouragement after that," she said.

9 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

10 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

SOPHIE POLKAMP, NETHERLANDS

SOPHIE POLKAMP, NETHERLANDS
Credit: Roland Weihraugh/EPA/Landov

Sport: Field Hockey
The Dutch team is the field-hockey juggernaut to beat in London, thanks in part to stalwart defender Polkamp, 27, who earned her share of the Netherlands' gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She was also part of the national teams that won the world championship in 2006, two golds and one silver in European championships, and two golds and a bronze in field hockey's most prestigious event, the Hockey Champions Trophy. Still, it wasn't certain she'd make the cut for London – she was plagued by injury for much of past season.

10 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

11 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

VICTORIA PENDLETON, U.K.

VICTORIA PENDLETON, U.K.
Credit: David Davies/PA/AP

Sport: Cycling
A darling of the British public, Pendleton went from winning a gold medal in track cycling at the 2008 Games to appearing in the buff in magazine photo shoots a year later. She's won nine world titles and is credited with glamorizing track cycling's less-than-sexy reputation, but the London Games will be the 31-year-old's last. "I know I've done the best job possible to be in that peak shape for the Olympics. Fingers crossed, it all works out," she told SkySports in June.

11 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement

12 of 12

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

HEATHER MITTS, U.S.

HEATHER MITTS, U.S.
Credit: Newscom

Sport: Soccer
London will be the final Olympics for Mitts, who earned gold twice (in 2004 and 2008) with the U.S. national team. Now 34, the defender for Atlanta Beat happens to have topped several lists of the sexiest women in sports, and has parlayed her natural beauty into the occasional modeling job. "I feel like I'm probably the fittest I've ever been, and I'm healthy and loving playing," Mitts told NBCOlympics.com of going to London. "[It's] always been my plan to hopefully play in one last Olympics and to step away from the game kind of on my own terms."

12 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By People Staff

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 12 ALEX MORGAN, U.S.
    2 of 12 MARIA SHARAPOVA, RUSSIA
    3 of 12 LOLO JONES, U.S.
    4 of 12 NATALIE COUGHLIN, U.S.
    5 of 12 JESSICA ENNIS, U.K.
    6 of 12 DARYA KLISHINA, RUSSIA
    7 of 12 ALLYSON FELIX, U.S.
    8 of 12 ROMY TARANGUL, GERMANY
    9 of 12 SWIN CASH, U.S.
    10 of 12 SOPHIE POLKAMP, NETHERLANDS
    11 of 12 VICTORIA PENDLETON, U.K.
    12 of 12 HEATHER MITTS, U.S.

    Share & More

    Pinterest Email Send Text Message
    PEOPLE.com

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Meredith© Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab. People is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab Manage Push Notificationsthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab

    Manage Push Notifications

    If you would like to opt out of browser push notifications, please refer to the following instructions specific to your device and browser: Google Chrome and Android, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge.
    © Copyright PEOPLE.com. All rights reserved. Printed from https://people.com

    Sign in

    View image

    12 Hot Female Olympians
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.