10 U.S. Olympians We’d Love to Date

August 12th, 2008

10 U.S. Olympians We’d Love to Date

Seriously: who doesn’t love the Olympics? Even if you favor the summer Games over the winter, or vice versa, it’s thrilling to watch the athletes compete, listen to the stories of how each one made the team, and follow each country’s medal count as the Games progress. But besides all of that, it’s also fun to check out how hot some of these athletes really are. They’re in the best shape of their lives, and in much better shape than most humans could ever strive to be in. Look below to find photos and commentary of some of our favorite Olympians we’re going to be checking out this summer in Beijing.

Lolo Jones, Track and Field: Lolo Jones, the 2008 Olympic Trials champion in her event in Eugene OR, is a 2004 LSU graduate who also happens to have unbelievable abs, an awesome tan and an adorable smile. Jones will turn 26 just before the Games start in Beijing, where she will compete in the 100m hurdles. Jones, originally from Des Moines, IA, was a three-time national champion and 11-time All American when she ran at LSU. At this year’s Olympic trials, Jones won first in the 100m hurdles, completing the race in just 12.29 seconds.
Nastia Liukin, Gymnastics: All gymnasts get extra points for their flexibility and artistry, but Nastia Liukin, also known as "Nast," is this summer’s star of the women’s gymnastics team and also a total hottie. The petite, lean-bodied blonde keeps a serious, focused face on the beam and uneven bars, but when she lights up after another flawless performance, you can’t help being won over by her smile and humble, yet articulate, interviews with reporters. The daughter of former Soviet and World gymnastics champions and Olympians, Nastia is herself a four-time World Champion and nine-time World Medalist. In 2007, Liukin was also named the most decorated American gymnast, along with Olympian Shannon Miller. Born in Moscow, Liukin currently lives and trains in Texas, coached by her father. She was also just named by Glamour magazine as having "one of the 11 greatest bodies on Earth." But we knew that already.
David Durante, Gymnastics: Italian-American Daniel Durante may be competing for the U.S. in the men’s artistic gymnastics category, but there is nothing frou-frou about this guy. The New Jersey native is unbelievably hot, has serious biceps and loves the Sopranos. At the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Philadelphia this year, he won 3rd place in the parallel bars and has appeared at national championships since 2001. Besides having the discipline, talent and athleticism to be an Olympian, David Durante also graduated from Stanford University with a major in Human Biology in 2002.
Michael Phelps, Swimming: Michael Phelps already has six Olympic gold medals from the Athens Games, but that isn’t stopping him from coming back to compete in 2008. Phelps is also a 17-World Champion and has shattered national and world records practically every time he competes. Though the swimmer hit a rough patch in late 2004 when he got busted with a DWI, he’s had time to (hopefully) grow up and manage his stardom. Not to mention keep working on those uber-famous and uber-hot six-pack abs.
Tyson Gay, Track and Field: All serious runners are in peak physical condition, but Tyson Gay is considered one of the fastest and most in-shape athletes in the world right now. At the Olympic Trials in Eugene, OR, Gay broke the world record in the 100m race when he ran it in 9.68 seconds. Though the record-breaking time is slightly controversial because the wind may have helped his time, he still has an impressive resume: 2007 World Champion in the 100m, 200m and 4×100m relay, 2007 IAF Male Athlete of the Year, 2007 Jesse Owens Award winner, and he is the fastest 100m/200m combination runner in history. We’re looking forward to him speeding past his rivals in Beijing, and then rewarding us with that sweet and adorable smile (and a flex or two of his biceps).
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, Volleyball: These two ladies tie for the number 6 spot on our list because they’re touted as the strongest pair in the U.S. women’s volleyball dream team and are nearly always photographed in a victorious embrace. When they’re not making college boys’ dreams come true in their itty bitty volleyball "suits," May-Treanor and Walsh are busy winning match after match. Thirty-one year-old May-Treanor has won 102 career tournaments, the most of any female player. She has attended the Olympics since 2000, including a gold-medal win with 29 year-old Kerri Walsh at Athens. In 2006, the pair won their 50th tournament together. Oh, and the hot factor? There’s Walsh’s statuesque blonde figure, May-Treanor’s classically American looks, and of course, serious abs and lots of skin as they pound, dive and spike in the sand.
Jillian Penner, Synchronized Swimming: Twenty year-old Jillian Penner is a member of this year’s U.S. Olympic synchronized swimming team, but she’s already a four-time national team member. She was also part of the 2007 team that won a gold medal at the Pan American Games. The 5′8" Seattle native is stunningly beautiful, with sparkly eyes and a pretty smile. Synchronized swimming babes are always fun to watch too, as they do their flips and tricks in the water in flashy bathing suits. After the Olympics, Penner plans on attending Ohio State University, where she hopes to land a spot on the swim team.
Nick Symmonds: Hottie McTottie Nick Symmonds has landed himself on the U.S. Track and Field Olympic team, and I am incredibly excited. This super cute Idaho native runs in the 800m and the 1,500m, and I’m sorry, but that kind of endurance does not go unnoticed. Symmonds is tan, blonde, and oh, actually a pretty stellar runner. As a student at Willamette University, Symmonds was a seven-time NCAA Division III champion, and since then he has been competing and placing at events like the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, USA Outdoors, Nike Prefontaine Classic and others. At the Olympic Trials in Eugene, OR, this year, Symmonds won the 800m final, finishing in just 1 minute, 44.10 seconds.
Deontay Wilder, Boxing: Even though Deontay Wilder is competing in Beijing as part of the U.S. Heavyweight Boxing team, you can’t help but notice just how sweet and cute he is. The father of three year-old Naieya, Wilder jumps at the chance to talk about what an inspiration his little girl — who because of her spina bifida, doctors thought would never be able to walk –has been for his own motivation and drive. Wilder dropped out of school to pay for Naieya’s medical bills and worked at a Red Lobster, Mercedes-Benz plant and eventually drove a Budweiser truck. Eventually, Wilder found his way to boxing, and besides having a heart of gold and a down-to-earth persona (and being incredibly gorgeous), Wilder is a two-time Alabama Golden Gloves Champion and 2007 National Golden Gloves Champion.
Amanda Beard, Swimming: Back in 2004 Amanda Beard famously posed on the cover of FHM Magazine with Haley Cope and Logan Tom, after winning a gold and silver medal in Athens. She quickly became known as an Olympic hottie and a sports babe, but this year, she’s back to prove that she can still swim. Beijing will be Beard’s fourth Olympics: she first debuted at the age of 14 in Atlanta, where she won two silver medals and a gold. It’s safe to say that Amanda Beard has officially reached celebrity status, and even though she’s considered a veteran at the age of 27, she still has a lot to offer…in the hotness and the athleticism arena.