Beijing's Sexiest Olympic Females

The greatest show in earth swept through Beijing in August with superstars from across the globe setting the world alight. Here's the cream of the female crop that turned male spectators' knees to jelly and sent jaws dropping to the floor. 

Victoria Pendleton

Cycling

Age: 28, Height: 165cm, Star Sign: Libra

The pin-up girl of cycling flies the flag for Great Britain having shown the world in Beijing she's not just a pretty face.

Pendleton bounced backed from a nightmare showing in Athens, where she came sixth and vowed never to get back on the bike, to grab gold in the Far East much to the delight of her adoring (largely male) following.

In between claiming world championships and Olympic gold medals the Bedford beauty has turned her hand at modelling - recreating the famous naked pose that Annie Leibovitz had created for cyclist Lance Armstrong.

"Believe me," she said, "I don't look that great in lingerie." - Thousands would beg to differ.

Rita Dravucz

Water Polo

Age: 28, Height: 180cm, Star Sign: Aries

Rita Dravucz would be sorely missed if water polo, one of the sports that may be jettisoned when the IOC convene next year to tweak the Oympic schedule, finds itself on the scrapheap.

But one flutter of these Eastern European eye-lashes would surely be enough to convince the all of a sudden hot under the collar panel to think twice.

The Hungarian heart-breaker is a former world and European champion, but alas Dravucz has served up more goulash than gold in her two Olympic appearances - failing to emulate the Hungarian men's heroics.

No-one ever really knows what's going on in water polo but with Rita in action it's fair to say no-one really cares.

Logan Tom

Volleyball

Age: 27, Height: 186cm, Star Sign: Gemini

This volleyball vixen is sure to bring central London to a stand-still when the Horse Guards Parade is transformed into a sandpit in 2012.

With not only looks to die for, Tom set the a high school Utah state record for most kills before becoming the USA's youngest ever female Olympian at 19 at Sydney 2000.

The sultry slammer, of Chinese Hawaiian descent, has Olympic and world championship silver medals to her name but has yet to secure that elusive gold.

All eyes will be on Logan in four years' time which will surely represent her last chance - expect the curtains to be twitching in Westminster.

She claims bronze in this prestigious list despite her ridiculous name.

Bia and Branca Feres

Synchronized swimming

Age: 20, Star Sign: Pisces

No, you're not seeing double, there is two of them, yes they're twins and yes they're from Brazil.

The synchronized swimming stunners have raised a few eye-brows (amongst other things) for their promiscuous nature and willingness to be filmed hosing each other down.

But the Feres sisters have shown they have bundles of ability by scooping bronze at the Pan Am Games in 2007 and they can add a silver in this list to their growing CV.

Born in Rio but educated in Seattle these blonde bombshells are not only siblings and synchronized partners but, according to their MySpace profile are also best friends and do everything together.

Everything?

 

Leryn Franco

Javelin

Age: 26, Height: 172cm, Star Sign: Pisces

A worthy winner, Franco brings a whole new dimension to javelin throwing. Two Olympic outings have seen her finish 42^nd and 51^st.......she's rubbish but we'll forgive her.

One of South America's finest exports this olive-skinned, curvaceous spear slinger was runner up in the Miss Paraguay 2006 award, took part in the Miss Universe bikini competition and has her own calendar - a stocking filler must.

Franco was a junior javelin and triple jump star, securing national junior records in both before being crowned South American under-23 champion in 2004 but has as yet failed to transfer that form to the big stage.

A far cry from Tessa Sanderson I think we would all agree. 

WORDS: GERARD MEAGHER, PICTURES: GETTY IMAGES