Some people have it all

Some of the most beautiful people on the planet will compete at the Olympics. Larry Ryan rates the top five men and women

The Ladies

1) Leryn Franco, Javelin

The former Miss Paraguay (right) runner-up became one of the biggest winners of the Beijing Games, despite not throwing her javelin terribly far. Franco finished 51st in competition but was declared — by Yahoo — the second most-searched Olympian of 2008, behind swimmer Michael Phelps.

Always keen to give the people what they want, the internet has since replenished its stock of frank Franco photographs, few of which feature athletic clothing, or much clothing at all. Unlikely to spearhead a Paraguayan medal charge in London, Franco claimed a personal best last year with an appearance in the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

2) Stephanie Rice, Swimming

The Australian ‘pool queen’ (right) will hope to add to her haul of three gold medals in Beijing, but made waves recently by tweeting a photograph of herself sporting a swimsuit that was a little skimpy Down Under.

The babe from Brizzie is no stranger to Twitter controversy. When the Wallabies rugby team beat South Africa in 2010, Rice’s ‘suck on that, faggots’ outburst cost her several sponsorship deals.

3) Tori Pena, Pole Vault

There was some consternation when beauty Allison Stokke failed to qualify from the US pole vault trials. Fortunately, our own Tori Pena (below) takes up the oversized baton in London. The Californian-born vaulter qualifies for Ireland under the granny rule and secured dual-citizenship in 2010. Long accustomed to leaping about on the big stage in a medal hunt; in 2003, Pena competed in Killarney at the World Irish Dancing Championships.

4) Ana Ivanovic, Tennis

We cannot, of course, forget the tennis players. And we will not. The now-veteran 24-year-old missed the last Olympics through injury, just when she was at the peak of her powers, having won the French Open and ascended to number one in the world rankings. Grand Slam progress has since proved elusive, but the magazine covers continue to pile up. Sponsor adidas was so smitten they have tied Ivanovic (right) into a lifetime contact that will see her swaddled in three stripes on her deathbed.

5) Alex Morgan, Football

Goalkeeper Hope Solo has, for some time, been American sawker’s glamour girl, a title she has guarded as zealously as her goal with a string of ‘candid’ photo shoots.

Now Solo’s fiercest rival in London may have emerged within her own camp. Modest Seattle Sounders striker Morgan (below) scored four goals in Olympic qualification and celebrated with a spot of painting and decorating — at least in so far as she decorated herself in nothing but paint for this year’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

The Men

1) Adam van Koverden, Kayaking

Canada’s flag-bearer in 2008 and chest-barer in magazines most weeks. The ‘beefcake’ from Ontario has got everything, ladies. As well as gold and bronze from Greece and silver in Beijing, he graduated from McMaster University as valedictorian of his class. An account of his Olympic preparation on Canadian paper The Record reads like a first draft of Fifty Shades of Gold. “Sweat glistens on his darting cheekbones and his lips curl as his body moves with machine-like precision.” Oh, and he brings a guitar everywhere he goes.

2) David Boudia, Diving

The Chinese want a golden sweep of the diving boards in London, but Boudia (below) is rated American’s best hope of making a ripple. The 23-year-old from Indianapolis has already claimed his gold card — Visa says his Olympic commercial, voiced by Morgan Freeman, is their most-watched of the year.

But the ultimate accolade came earlier this year for the athlete who chose a sport where he competes in underpants — Boudia was named Sports Stud for May in Homorazzi magazine.

3) James Magnussen, Swimming

The 100m freestyle world champion is known as The Missile and is fancied to storm the ‘splash and dash’ event in London. But things could have been so different for the Aussie hunk. Rugby league’s loss was toplessness’s gain, when the disappointment of losing an U16 Grand Final in the dying seconds persuaded Magnussen to ditch footy for the pool. The Missile has since launched his career as a sex symbol, featuring on the cover of GQ Australia last year.

4) Richard Kruse, Fencing

The 28-year-old Londoner has already flashed his sword for Britain in two Olympics, with women everywhere regarding him as an ideal foil. “He knows how to handle his weapon with ease and is very easy on the eye,” panted Cosmopolitan magazine. The Olympics’ answer to Antonio Banderos in The Mask of Zorro.

5) Clemente Russo, Boxing

A police officer by day, the Italian created an arresting spectacle in 2008 when he wed jeweller Laura Maddaloni sporting a white fur coat and carrying a gold cane. Having served his time for fashion crimes, the Beijing silver medallist is now sponsored by Dolce & Gabbana, who have tidied him up well enough to make him a movie star. Russo starred, last year, as a mobster gone straight in Tatanka.