Culture
There is very little time left before the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Of course, the best of the best will take part in the competition.
Today we will introduce you to the most attractive athletes who represent various sports.
Here they are handsome and beautiful women who will fight for Sochi medals.
1. Aleksandr Ovechkin, Russia
Age: 28 years
Sport type: Hockey
In 2013, this world-famous hockey player was named the second most influential hockey player in the world by The Hockey News. Alexander also became the fourth highest-paid hockey player according to Forbes magazine.
His revenue for one season was almost $13 million. Ovechkin's popularity is incredibly high, both at home and abroad. Madame Tussauds even has a copy of her own at Madame Tussauds.
Of course, the Russian team has high hopes for striker Ovechkin. The Russian team will play in Group A against the teams of the USA, Slovenia and Slovakia.
Beautiful athletes
2. Aksel Lund Svindal, Norway
Age: 30 years
Sport type: Alpine skiing
This Norwegian became the record holder at the Vancouver Olympics, winning one medal of each rank. Now his plans are to repeat his success in Sochi.
In the last six World Cup races, Axel has always finished in the top five. He won 22 times at various stages of the World Cup. No Norwegian had achieved such results before him.
3. Darya Domracheva, Belarus
Age: 27 years
Sport type: Biathlon
Daria is one of the favorites in her sport; she competes for medals in each discipline at the Sochi Games.
A two-time world champion and 2010 Olympic bronze medalist, Daria was also at the center of a love affair. There are still rumors that the girl caused the family of famous Norwegian skier and biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen to break up.
4. Anna Prugova, Russia
Age: 20 years
Sport type: Hockey
Anna is the goalkeeper of the Russian women's national ice hockey team. This is the girl's second Olympics; she was the youngest hockey player in Vancouver, barely 16 years old. Then they were only sixth.
Since then, Anya and the national team have won the first division in 2011 and won bronze medals at the World Championship in 2013. In Sochi, the Russian team will compete with teams from Canada and the United States, which are considered leaders of the Olympic Games.
Beautiful photos of athletes
5. Henrik Lundqvist, Sweden
Age: 31 years
Sport type: Hockey
The men's hockey tournament will undoubtedly be one of the main gems of the upcoming games. Henrik is the Rangers goalkeeper. Last season was the worst NHL season in his nine-year career, so his plan now is to bring home a gold medal to Sweden.
Moreover, Henrik is making progress in acting, actively collaborating with Head & Shoulders.
6. Alexey Voevoda, Russia
Age: 33 years
Sport: Bobsleigh
Alexey is currently one of the most titled athletes in Russian bobsleigh. His awards include a silver medal at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, a bronze medalist at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, and a 2011 world champion.
After winning the title of champion in 2011, Alexey decided to retire from bobsleigh, but he overcame his desire to compete in Sochi at the “home” Olympics. According to the athlete himself, he was able to achieve such high results by completely giving up meat.
7. Jeff Carter, Canada
Age: 29 years
Sport type: Hockey
Jeff is a forward for the Los Angeles Kings national hockey team. Very soon he will try to defend his team's dignity against the world's best teams.
In 33 games last season, Carter scored 13 goals.
8. Julia Mancuso, USA
Age: 29 years
Sport type: Alpine skiing
This is the third Olympics for Super Jules (as it is known among fans). In Vancouver, she made a splash, winning two silver medals (supercombination and downhill).
Mancuso also has his own Kiss My Tiara underwear line, whose first batch (500 thongs and 500 short boxers) sold out with a bang. Julia was inspired to create the line by the tiara she wore during the Olympic awards ceremony.
9. Ilya Kovalchuk, Russia
Age: 30 years
Sport type: Hockey
Ilya has been playing in North America for more than 10 years. Covey, as he was nicknamed, became the first Russian to be drafted in the NHL under the overall number one.
After returning home, Ilya started playing for SKA St. Petersburg. Two-time world champion, Honored Master of Sports, ice hockey player won bronze at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. Sochi is certainly counting on another medal.
Ilya has been married since 2007 and has three children.
10. Valeria Tsoi, Kazakhstan
Age: 28 years
Sport type: Snowboarding
She is one of the brightest Kazakh athletes who will go to the Sochi Olympics. Valeria is the only qualified snowboarder in the country.
Surprisingly, the country did not find funds to financially support the athlete; she was sponsored by the Red Bull energy drink company.
Valeria will compete in the “parallel slalom” category and has every chance to take the top positions in the rankings.
11. Ekaterina Galkina, Russia
Age: 25 years
Sport: Curling
The athlete is the leader of the Russian curling team. Her achievements include 2006 European champion, world champion among juniors, twice Russian champion, international master of sports, and participant in two Olympic Games.
12. Sarah Hendrickson, USA
Age: 19 years
Sport: Ski jumping
For the first time in the history of the Olympics, women will be admitted to the springboard. Sarah is the youngest athlete on her team. She became a world champion in 2013.
She suffered a serious knee injury in the summer, so she spent most of the season in treatment. Nevertheless, before the announcement of the lists of participants in the Sochi Olympics, she was back in shape.
13. Dmitry Malyshko, Russia
Age: 26 years
Sport type: Biathlon
In 2008, due to financial problems with the Biathlon Federation, Dmitry retired from sports, but returned some time later, and as it turned out, for good reason.
In the 2010 season, at the European Championships, the national team won a silver medal with his help, and in 2011 Dmitry became second at the Russian Championship (and this is after heart surgery).
Last year, Dmitry won the sprint at the World Cup, and then won the pursuit and the race.
14. Anton Shipulin, Russia
Age: 26 years
Sport type: Biathlon
The charming biathlete was nicknamed “Champion of Everything” after becoming the absolute European champion, winning both the relay race and all three individual races. This happened in 2008.
A year later, he made his World Cup debut, and in 2010 he won the bronze medal in the relay race in Vancouver. The athlete has a law degree and is actively engaged in charity work, creating his own sports support fund in the Sverdlovsk Region.
The most beautiful athletes in the world
15. Nadezhda Skardino, Belarus
Age: 28 years
Sport type: Biathlon
Initially, Nadezhda specialized in cross-country skiing, but almost 10 years ago she moved to biathlon, where she shows very good results in various competitions.
Read also: Top countries with the most beautiful women in the world
It is worth noting that Skardino's sporting achievements are modest compared to Domracheva. In the overall World Cup standings in 2012-2013, she was in 18th place. However, the athlete is strong, so the results of the Olympics can be extremely unpredictable.
16. Silje Norendal, Norway
Age: 20 years
Sport: Snowboard, Slopestyle
The Norwegian beauty is part of a new generation of snowboarders whose riding style is very cool and whose approach to skiing is incredibly confident.
Silja says she doesn't like rails, but her performance in Tine, France, was excellent, earning her a gold medal.
17. Yulia Jima, Ukraine
Age: 23 years
Sport type: Biathlon
Another representative of this amazing sport. Yulia is the opening of the past season.
A two-time European relay champion and World Championship silver medalist, she is part of the strongest team — the main contender for victory in the race.
She made her World Cup debut in the 2011/2012 season.
18. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Canada
Ages: 24 and 26
Sport type: Figure skating
These guys have been skating together for 16 years. They won the Skate Canada tournament five times in a row.
Tessa and Scott have decided that this will be their final season. They want to end their careers with Sochi Olympic gold.
Beautiful athletes
19. Therese Johaug, Norway
Age: 25 years
Sport type: Cross-country skiing
Teresa is the first Norwegian athlete to win the Tour de Ski, and she is now the leader in the overall World Cup standings in terms of points scored precisely because of this victory.
The girl is very energetic and develops high speeds on the track. For this reason, she was nicknamed “Duracell Rabbit”.
20. Maxim Trankov and Tatyana Volosozhar, Russia
Age: 30 and 27
Sport type: Figure skating
From the first day of skating together, this couple developed mutual understanding. As soon as they got on the ice, they won the Russian Championship almost immediately, and they won the European Championship in 2012.
In 2013, Maxim became the world champion, beating his closest rival by 20 points. This was his first victory at this level. In January last year, Maxim and Tatyana became European champions again, so it becomes clear that athletes are more than prepared for the upcoming Olympics.
21. Tina Maze, Slovenia
Age: 30 years
Sport type: Alpine skiing
Slovenia's singing sensation has not yet won a single competition this season, but Tina is really hoping for a medal from Sochi.
Last season, she won the overall World Cup for the first time in her career and also set a record for points.
22. Torah Bright, Australia
Age: 26 years
Sport type: Snowboarding
After becoming an Olympic champion in 2010 in high pipe, Tora will defend her slopestyle title in Sochi.
In December 2013, she embarrassed the Australian Olympic Committee by announcing her opposition to the ban on posting Olympic photos and videos taken from mobile devices in social networks and mass media.
23. Vanessa Mae, Thailand
Age: 35 years
Sport: Ski slalom
The British violinist decided to put on skis again and try her hand at slalom competitions. She has suspended her musical career and will be one of three athletes representing Thailand at the Sochi Olympics.
24. Yuna Kim, South Korea
Age: 23 years
Sport type: Figure skating
Yona is a current Olympic champion as well as a two-time world champion. Her last games will be in Sochi. Its revenue over the past year is estimated at $14 million. In 2010, she was named one of the world's highest-paid athletes by Forbes.
25. Albert Demchenko, Russia
Age: 42 years
Sport type: Luge
Albert is a famous Soviet and Russian luger. He is Honored Master of Sports of Russia, two-time vice-world champion in 2012, three-time European champion, vice-champion of the Turin Olympics, World Cup winner, and multiple Russian champion.
Albert won his first medals at the 1996 European Championships. During his long career, the athlete took part in six Olympics, but this one is special because, according to the luger himself, she is “domestic”. Her 18-year-old daughter Victoria followed in her father's footsteps and too He is engaged in this sport.