Best Looking Athletes?

[[old] Guido B]

In the Olympics, what kind of atheletes (rowers, runners, judoka's...) have the most aesthetic, well developped body? <br><br>What sports are the most complete, i.e requiring the largest set of skills or athletic qualities?<br><br>Which sport is the hardest on a physical level?

[[old] Rocket Roy]

Gymnastics , doing the ring's into inverted crucifix, I think that is where they are in the crucifix position then level out the body behind them.............awesome strength.

[[old] DavidA]

I have long thought the male gymnasts doing the still rings are just unbelievable. Their muscles strength, control and size are incredible.<br><br>David

[[old] grams]

Distaff opinion: I like the divers. Of course I'm also partial to the swimmers and lightweight rowers. Both men & women.

[[old] Guido B]

Like the majority, I think gymnasts are the most impressive, combining flexibility, strength and control. Rowers of course have pretty awesome bodies too. <br><br>Rowing probably seems one of the toughest sports. On close up of rowers during a race you definetly see the pain on their faces and they seem completly exhausted <br>after a 2 K race. <br><br>Marathon runners and road cyclists have a hard time but that has to do with the length of the effort and less with the intensity.

[[old] lowwall]

The ancient Greeks would probably give the aesthetic nod to decathletes, sprinters (running), water polo players, divers, rowers and the upper (but not top) weight class in judo and rowing. Basically all sports that require full and balanced body development.<br><br>I left out swimmers since they have started to look a little like sci-fi aliens as the need for aerodyamic (hydrodynamic?) perfection has become a prerequisite for an Olympic medal. <br><br>How about the ugliest athletes? From what I've seen male open class weightlifters and female open class judokas have this title sewn up. Anyone want to volunteer to deliver the medals?<br><br>Alex

[[old] Guido B]

Male open class weigthliftes look like they came out of a bad fantasy movie, where the vilains are mountains of muscle. <br><br>With all due respect it must be one of the most humiliating sports. Think of it. He who lifts the biggest weigth wins. There's always a bunch of them who try to do the same and can't; pulling silly faces in doing strange frog-leaps as to not get squashed by the weigth. So most of them will not remembered for their ranking in the OG but for their failed attempt. <br><br>Bronze for less aesthetic goes to basketball-players. Seems being tall is all that counts.

[[old] Paul S]

I've always felt that serious long distance runners are the least healthy looking specimens. Some look like they have tuberculosis. I would agree with some others in here on gymnasts. Cyclists are uo there too. Lance Armstrongs looks pretty good.<br><br>Paul S