Amanda BEARD

While still a high school student, Amanda Beard won two Olympic silver medals in the individual breaststroke events, behind Penny Heyns. At the podium in Atlanta, the 14-year-old was seen holding her teddy bear. Although she also won a relay gold medal at those Olympics, it took her some time before she would win an international title individually. In 2002, she won the breaststroke events at the Pan Pacific meet, and in 2003 she became World Champion in the 200 m in Barcelona, winning silver in the 100 m and the medley relay. She emulated this performance in Athens, winning the 200 m gold after a very good last lane by just 0.23 over Leisel Jones. After these victories, Beard started modelling, appearing in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition and Playboy, among others. Beard's 2008 Olympic performance was marked by her anti-fur protest, posing nude in a campaign for animal rights organisation PETA.