The Olympics are all about gold, silver, and bronze, but if you ask us, the Games are skimping on a few of the most called-for awards in the athletic world. Since the London officials probably won’t take our advice and add these accolades to their Victory Ceremony schedules (those Brits do love their traditions), we’ve taken it upon ourselves to give credit where credit is due. From the overachieving, to the hairy, to the virginal, to the prodigious, these 10 Olympians are all over the map, but they do have one thing in common: they’ll probably all have medals around their necks before the next two weeks are up!
The Unibrow: Anthony Davis
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Frida Kahlo! Nope, it’s actually The Unibrow, 19-year-old Anthony Davis’s coveted facial focal point that’s earned him almost as much fame as his stellar one-season basketball career at the University of Kentucky. The top overall selection in the NBA draft, NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, and late addition to Team USA, Davis and his unibrow are on the fast track to superstardom. Lest he lose any of that fame to hairy wannabes, Davis trademarked the catchphrases, “Fear the Brow,” “Raise the Brow,” and others this June. We admire his um, creativity.
The “It” Girl: Alex Morgan
Beauty, brains, and feet to rival David Beckham’s are only a few of this American golden girl’s enviable assets. The world’s gotten to know Alex Morgan really well over the last few years (and we mean really well, given February’s bare-all Sports Illustrated photo shoot in which Morgan donned nothing but a body paint bikini... and of course, rocked it). For this “It” Girl, it’s always go big or go home – she started playing club soccer at 14 years-old, much later than most of her teammates, but in 2011, 21-year-old Morgan was the youngest person to be named to the United States World Cup roster and scored two of the crucial goals during the tournament. We want to hate her for being so perfect, but she’s just too cute a collegiette not to love!
The Gender Neutral Hero: Caster Semenya
21-year-old Caster Semenya of South Africa doesn’t identify as gender neutral (she self-identifies as a woman and, after extensive gender testing, the International Association of Athletics Federations agrees with her), but that hasn’t stopped her from becoming a role model for intersex individuals the world over. After the University of Pretoria student and middle-distance runner blew away the competition at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, the I.A.F.F. began the gender tests due to Semenya’s testosterone levels (which were three times higher than the average female). The results of the tests remain unknown to the public, but what is clear is that Semenya is no quitter; we spotted this collegiette front and center,, during the Olympic opening ceremony, and we’re sure she’ll be front and center again when she hits the track!
