Most people are aware of Anna Kournikova, Maria Sharapova, and Oksana Baiul, but tennis and figure skating aren’t the only sports in which Russian women excel. Here are 8 hot Russian women athletes, including pole-vaulters, fencers, boxers, golfers, and more!
Yelena Isinbayeva, Pole-Vaulter
Considered by some to be the greatest female pole-vaulter in history, Yelena Isinbayeva has set 27 world records, won 2 Olympic gold medals, and earned countless medals in various track competitions (including 9 straight gold). The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) named Isinbayeva Female Athlete of the Year in 2004, 2005, and 2008 and Laureus named her World Sportswoman of the Year in 2007 and 2009. Is there any pole-vaulting honor this beauty hasn’t received?
Maria Verchenova, Golfer
Dubbed the «Maria Sharapova of golf,» Maria Verchenova is the first Russian woman to play on the Ladies European Tour. The 24-year-old golfer originally dreamed of being a famous ballerina, but all that changed when she played her first game at a golf club in the Czech Republic. Thanks to the help of coach Karl Scopovy, Maria won the Russian amateur championship in 2004 and 2006, as well as the amateur championships of Austria, Latvia, and Slovenia. She joined the Ladies European Tour in 2007 and is a rising star in the competitive world of women’s golf.
Natalia Ragozina, Boxer
After failed attempts at modeling and working as a flight attendant, Russia-born Nataia Ragozina turned her attention to boxing. It was a good move. Ragozina has dominated all 22 of her fights and holds all of the major female super middleweight boxing titles. This boxing babe has become so impressive in her sport that a movie was made about her named Belaya Medveditsa, or White Bear. She has also recently published a book titled «Knockout From a Blonde». As an actor, author, model, and undefeated boxing champion, Natalya, also known as Natascha, is confident about adding an Olympic gold medal to her list of achievements. She will have her chance at the 2012 London Games, the first time women boxers will be able to compete in the Olympics.
Irina Kalentieva, Mountain Bike Racer
Irina «Ira» Kalentieva is a professional cross-country mountain bike racer from Russia. This lovely and talented athlete is an Olympic medalist, a two-time world champion, and the winner of several national and European championships. She was also featured as Ms. December in the 2009 Cycle Passion calendar.
Olga Kharlan, Olha Zhovnir, and Olena Khomrova, Fencers
Okay, so they may not be Russian but these hot Ukrainian women deserve some recognition. The three O’s make up the Ukrainian women’s sabre team and represent some of the best fencing talent in the world. The team won the Women’s Sabre World Championship last October and took home the gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The sexy Ukrainian ladies attracted a lot of attention after their Olympic win, earning them a sizzling pictorial in XXL Magazine, a Ukrainian magazine similar to America’s Maxim.
Anna Bessonova
Throughout her illustrious career, Anna Bessonova has won over 24 World Championship medals, 24 European Championship Medals, 10 World Cup medals, and 6 World Games Medals. She also won the bronze individual all around medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2004 Athens Olympics. After wowing audiences for several years, 25-year-old Anna recently decided to officially retire from rhythmic gymnastics. On March 21, 2010, she gave her final performance at the Grand Prix Deryugina Cup in Kiev, Ukraine. Though fans were sad to see her go, they respect Anna’s decision to leave the sport at the top of her game.
Ilona Korstine
One of the most famous and well-recognized women’s basketball players in Europe, Ilona Korstine helped Team Russia win bronze medals in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. For a short time in her extensive career, Ilona played in the U.S. for the WNBA team the Phoenix Mercury. When she returned to Russia, she signed with CSKA Moscow and her talents helped the team win the Superleague-Russian Championship 3 years in a row, the World League 4 times, and the Cup of Russia in 2004, 2006, and 2007. She was chosen as the «Face of Women’s Basketball» by the International Basketball Federation.
Currently, Ilona plays for Spartak Moscow and helped push them towards victory in the 2010
Tags:Athletes, Russian
Russian Women Online NOW: New Russian Women:
LOL the anna girl looks like
a cracked out squirrel haha
im sorry to say, but thats how black women are built
(throws up)
you see, blacks all look alike
Serena is more muscular, how is she a man? If you think she is a transvestite you must have some very strange views on gender.
I always thought Justine Henin is a trans.
What’s that overpowering aroma?
Ohh right, it’s insecurity.
She is just muscular, she still looks like a woman.
Have you seen muscular white women? they look the same way.
You sound jealous.
Serena gets more magazine spreads than you can dream of.
On top of being a record-breaking athlete.
And having an ultra handsome boyfriend (Common).
How do you know? did you check it out? or are you a gynecologist? She is woman and everybody knows
Every woman’s body is different.
If you ask me Serena looks more healthier than the other chick!
P.S. Although muscular, she still has a feminine body.
SHUT THE FUCK UP shes not a tranny, theres pictures and home videos of her as a little girl from kindergarden to H.S., ur just an annoying prick
She just had a more manly body and I mean manly as in muscular.
Answer Mine Please.
Prettiest Celebrities?? Kim Kardashian, Miranda Kerr, Adriana Lima??? http://nz.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100703194557AAAfXnA
Are you mad that Serena yet again kicked some white ass at Wimbledon? You could have at least picked a successful tennis player to compare her to.
I’ve met the Williams sisters and I can tell you first hand, they are all woman! Seriously. They are WAY hotter in person then they are on TV. Anna is super hot in person too, I’m not saying she’s not.
There are many female athletes – Black, White and others – that look masculine. So before you start singling people out, you should take a good look at all of them.