We hear alot about Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Natalie's a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley -- Cal!
But we don't hear alot about heroes like Emily Silver, Natalie's teammate , fellow Cal-grad, and friend. Emily planned and trained to race in the 100 free, 100 fly, 200 free, and 50 free, but because she broke two fingers, Emily qualified for the 4 by 100 relay, where she played a major role in the United States taking the silver medal in that category.
Female French Swimmer Laure Manaudou has had a hard go of it of late. Just on top of the swimming World two years ago and in love with Italian Swimmer Male Luca Martin, Laure Manaudou saw her life change rapidly.
After breaking up with Luca Martin, tossing the ring he gave her into the pool, nude photos of her surface on The Internet, embarrasing her in the process.
Fast Forward to Beijing. Luca Martin has taken up with another female swimmer, Federica Pellegrini. Beautiful, athletic, and stunning, Federica Pellegrini has Laure Manaudou's ex-boyfriend and her ex-coach.
Then on Sunday, Laure Manaudou suffers a total performance collapse, coming in last in the 400m Freestyle race. Then, to add insult to injury, Laure Manaudou's 2007 200m Freestyle record is broken by none other than Federica Pellegrini, who also turned her back on Laure on Sunday.
The only way Laure can prevail and salvage a wrecked career is to beat Federica Pellegrini in the finals on Wednesday.
I'm rooting for Laure Manaudou, as she's been through far too much and is too talented for the treatment she's gotten.
What's fascinating about this is the level of attention female swimmers are given in Europe; much more than in the United States. Swimmers like Laure and Federica appear on talk shows and in the front page of magazines, and are chased by photographers.
The great actress Dame Helen Mirren allowed herself to be see wearing a two-piece bikini and the industrialized world went nuts. Helen's body is a prime example that hotness knows no age anymore.
Helen -- if you don't know her name -- was the actress who won the Academy Award in 2006 for her role as the Queen of England in "Queen" and has played several meaty and in many cases sexy roles.
But her greatest role may be as octogenarian sex-symbol. At 63, she's got a body that rivals that of someone 30 years younger than she is. Ok. I'll go as far as 35 years younger.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger puckers up to congratulate Kim Klein, the winner of the Fitness International Competition at The Arnold Classic. The Arnold Classic is an annual bodybuilding event the Governor established well before he became Governor of California.
