Thoughts and stuff: August 2004

Beach Volleyball

I haven't been doing a good job of keeping track of Olympians. Fortunately, blogger Tien Mao compiled this photomontage of Kerri Walsh and Misty May celebrating their gold medal in beach voleyball: Olympic Beach Volleyball - Best...Sport...Ever!!

Centerfold

NY Times: Olympians Strike Pinup Pose, and Avoid Setting Off a Fuss

Female athletes appear to be more comfortable combining sex appeal with athleticism at the peak of their careers. Katarina Witt, a gold medalist in figure skating in the 1984 and 1988 Winter Games, caused an uproar by posing nude in Playboy in 1998, long after she was finished as a world-class skater. Now, female athletes are showing off their bodies in nonsports magazines and making no apologies for it.

If more female athletes are willing to revel in the beauty of the athletic female body like Ms. Acuff, this corner of the blogosphere has no objections.

Abby Wambach

NYT: Making Her Presence Known

Wambach is the forward presence for the American team that is trying to regain its championship ways. She is 5 feet 10, solid of frame and not afraid to use her formidable shoulders.

"She is a mass of woman,'' Brandi Chastain once said of her teammate. "You can't move her very easily, and once she gains position, it's almost impossible to get around her.''

Swimming photos

This week's NYT Magazine featured a series of interesting swimming photos, including this one of Jenny Thompson:

Amy Acuff

High-jumper Amy Acuff is featured in FHM's photo feature of US women olympic athletes, along with volleyball player, Logan Tom, swimmers Amanda Beard and Haley Cope, and runner Jenny Adams:

Rowing

AP: In women rowing's elite event, U.S. the team to beat

The eight female rowers powering America's best boat at the Athens Games are imposing, each about 6 feet and 175 pounds.

Their long legs are thick from the explosive lower-body thrusts that begin each synchronized pull of the oars as they cut through the water. Their well-defined biceps would put many men to shame.