In one of the brief moments where Michael Phelps wasn’t dominating the Olympic pool, Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini not only clinched the gold medal in the women’s 200m freestyle but also broke her own world record, set at the European championships earlier this year. Federica’s gold-medal win edged out American favorite and recurring fourth-place finisher Katie Hoff.
But she’s not just a super Olympian: Under that heinous swim cap and aerodynamic (but seriously unflattering) swimsuit lies a super hottie. Federica sports a bad ass Angelina-Jolie-in-Wanted-like tattoo that runs down her neck from her left ear to her shoulder. The tat is way cooler than the Olympic rings a lot of athletes are sporting this year. And thanks to one of those overly sentimental behind-the-scenes-with-the-athletes packages that NBC is running every five minutes, we learned that Federica is currently dating the ex-boyfriend of rival French swimmer Laure Manaudou. It’s so Days of Our Lives!
When Pellegrini isn’t smashing world records, the 20-year-old swimming phenom is also an Italian cover girl. If you’re still not convinced of Federica’s blend of athleticism and total hottie status, check out the video embedded after the jump (and featuring a song by Anastacia).
Now it’s your turn! Nominate your own Olympic Stud of the Day* — or second ours — below. (Then click here to check out our winning Studs from the last few days in Beijing.)
* Not just a man or woman who turns us on. (Necessarily.)
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Stud of the day: Benjamin Boukpeti of Togo. First ever medal for that country in kayaking! He was so awesome and so happy. And the crowd was going nuts for him. That’s the best moment of the Olympics so far. (Oh, and he speaks French.)
I’m gonna have to go with Cat Osterman (or would that be for tomorrow? I’m so confused as what the “day”s are) on the USA softball team for pitching a no-hitter. Not only is that an amazing feat in itself, but it’s in the Olympics against a whole country’s elite. Major props!!
My picks would be Aussie swimmer Eamon Sullivan
http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/0/210690.shtml
And diver Alex Despatie:
http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/2/211682.shtml
I know this is just for studs, but can I nominate a dud? Alicia Sacramone!!! Totally F8cked it up for women’s gymnastics. AHHHHHH
Just because he’s hot-Ricky Berens of the mens 4X200 relay yummo, And Armstrong for being only the second US woman to win the gold in women’s cycling.
I nominate Phelps just because he literally had to go blind while doing the 200M butterfly final and winning it and setting a world record. Go boy!
im gonna second Michael Phelps. Yes, its an obvious choice but the boy won an event in record time with his goggles filled with water and his eyes shut! Props to everyone else mentioned but Michael is my Olympic Stud if the day!
Gotta be R-Feds. Not cause he’s been playing his best, but cause he looks even better in red than Wimbledon whites.
After watching Mary Carillo melt my heart with her look at the panda population (every one of them looked like a stuffed animal), I nominate Lulu as Olympic Stud of the Day.
As Carillo said, “Lulu is a super stud, many times a panda pop.”
Boo yeahbaby – Alicia Sacramone is a total Olympic stud/hottie — the girl still helped the US to a silver, plus she actually looks healthy and old enough to compete, unlike the Chinese gymnasts who looked 8, evidence shows were probably no older than 14, but still competed because some probably bogus passports say they’re 16.
Alicia – I normally hate gymnastics, but you got me interested last night. Way to keep your head up, even with all the distractions. You made the USA proud, girl.
I’m nominating Michael Phelp’s swimsuit. How does that thing stay on???? If it crept down just a millimeter it would be x-rated. Now that would make for an interesting olympics…!!
I nominate Shawn Johnson and Alexander Artemev. Shawn has been spectacular at everything, and “Sasha” is beautiful on the pommel horse (and that takes some doing!).
Oh, come on now. I get why you are so resistant to name Phelps the Stud of the Day. Yes, there is a lot of hype surrounding him. And maybe you’re saving him for when he wins his 8th gold. But seriously, like others have already menitoned, he won gold and broke his own record with his eyes closed, plus at the same time became the all-time leader in career gold medals. I mean, how can anyone else compare? You should be ashamed of yourself. Give the boy some freaking props!
Pellegrini? She hasn’t done anything that Michael Phelps hasn’t done 5 times already in these olympics! So not my stud of the day. I’d have to go with either Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson or Michael Phelps. I can’t say I care much for boyfriend stealing nude photo spreading Italian swimmers.
I apologize ahead of time if this double posts, but it seems like it didn’t take the first time. Anyway…
Come on now, how could it be anyone but Phelps? I get why you are resistant to name him Stud of the Day, he is the most hyped athlete at these games, but it’s well deserved, especially last night. Or maybe you are saving it for when he wins his 8th gold, I don’t know. But as others have already pointed out, he won gold last night, breaking his own record, with his freaking eyes closed. It also put him on top for all-time career golds. I mean, who’s better? Not Pellegrine, not anyone. You should be ashamed of yourself. Give the boy some freaking props already!!!
Crap, it did double post, sorry.
Yeah, I don’t understand why Pellegrini either… I guess I’m a French-sympathizer. Anyways, instead, I think that y’all should give the judokas… all of them! Those gis are great uniforms, rivaling baseball uniforms. These athletes are all about grabbing, control, and getting opponents on the ground. I vote for Judo!
I would like to echo the sentiments of some others and nominate Alicia Sacramone, because she deserves some recognition for keeping her composure when it was obvious that all she wanted to do was curl up in the fetal position and cry for days. I wouldn’t have blamed her if she did. I certainly wouldn’t have been able to keep it together with all those cameras in my face.
ICAM, Chaddogg!…with your “Boo, yeahbaby”. Alicia Sacramone is a wonderfully talented gymnast who helped her team to an Olympic silver medal. Even if her scores had been up to what she had before, China still would have edged out the US. She alone didn’t stop them from winning a gold. And since when does winning a silver in the Olympics mean you’ve disgraced yourself or your country?
It should have been Phelps’ day.
Not to be all US centric, but I also would nominate Alicia just for keeping her composure as that NBC reporter kept grilling her about her mistakes. Idiotic reporter. Or the team in general. They had two key injuries and basically Nastia and Shawn led that team to a silver. While the Chinese had two of the girls who are part of the age controversy in their win. Our girls did a great job!
Otherwise, I definitely think Stephanie Rice is a bigger stud than the Italian swimmer. She has won two gold medals and breaking records as well.
Stephanie Rice! Between her and her “ex-boyfriend” Eamon Sullivan (both Aussies), you have a great looking couple and amazing swimmers. I say “ex” because though broken up, many think they did so they can just focus on the games. Either way, Stephanie is a better swimmer to choose. I have agreed on the other studs so far, but this one is waaaay off.
I agree with many that Pellegrini is way off the mark–unfortunate because I’ve agreed with the previous “studs.” However, I thank you for not giving it to Phelps yet. Yes, he’s a truly phenomenal athlete, but he is so overtly the stud of the Olympics to NBC that I’m actually beginning to tire of him. I don’t care what he eats or what his daily schedule is like. I’d also like to hear about some of the other swimmers in the race, even if they’re battling for bronze. There’s no need to hear about how far Phelps is ahead of the world record line for an entire race.
Rice would have been a good pick. I wouldn’t nominate Sacramone…I felt bad for her and commend her for keeping her composure after her falls, but the Olympic pressure got to her and that’s all there is to it. She’s a great gymnast, but not the stud of the day.
I agree, Chaddogg!…with your “boo yeahbaby”. Alicia Sacramone is a tremendously talented gymnast who helped her team to an Olympic silver medal (and since when is that a disgrace to yourself or your country). Even if she had received the scores she had previously, China still would have edged out the US. Way to go, Team USA! we’re proud of you!!
Hmm….nice double post, me. Sorry.
Did anyone else notice a couple of the Chinese gymnasts were missing teeth? Come on, I don’t know too many 16 year olds whose permanent teeth haven’t grown in yet. And don’t get me started on the overly padded bra for a girl that obviously barely weighed 80 lbs. The only people they were fooling was the IOC, which clearly didn’t want to embarrass the host nation.
I have to go with Mary Carillo too, but because of the comments made following her colleague’s interview of Alicia Sacramone. After watching how devastated Alicia was and hearing her blame herself for losing the gold, the camera switched back to Carillo who was clearly choked up herself. She was barely able to say how tough it was for the kids and indicated as a parent herself, it was hard to see. Then she pulled herself together to quip “that’s why some people just raise chinchillas”! Laughed my a** off at the way she regrouped — LOVE her sense of humor. Give me her and Bob 24/7, get rid of the rest of the commentators.
I’m happy a woman is finally the stud of the day, but I have to agree with the nomination of Benjamin Boukpeti of Togo. The man won his country’s first olympic medal and actually broke his paddle out of happiness. I’m an American, but I felt a whole lot of pride for Togo after seeing this race.
I still stand by my comments. Sacramone WAS a dud yesterday, doesn’t matter how great she was years before, in the prelims etc.No matter how you slice it, the girl chocked big time when it counted most (the chinese fell on beam giving them a chance to catch up) and I’m almost certain if she didn’t f*ck up Johnson and Liukin wouldn’t have stepped out of bounds on floor. Once the mistakes happened all hopes of a gold were vanished. She could only redeem herself if she s*cks it up and kicks ass on the individual events.
and I never said that silver was a disgrace don’t put words in my mouth.
Defintely Cat Osterman for her no-hitter, Kristin Armstrong for winning the womens’ time-trial in road cycling, or Benjamin Boukpeti from Togo.