Ricky Berens Splits Swimsuit, Bares Butt At World Championships (NSFW PHOTOS)

First Posted: 07-27-09 04:44 PM   |   Updated: 08-27-09 05:12 AM

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US Swimmer and Beijing relay gold medalist Ricky Berens tore the back of his swimsuit in a qualifying heat of the 4x100m relay freestyle on Sunday during the World Swimming Championships in Rome. Shortly before stepping up to the starting block, the University of Texas senior leaned down to stretch and his suit tore.

"I kind of freaked out for just a second," Berens said. "I felt like [the hole] was almost down to my knees. I felt like I was putting on a pretty good show."

He did. And the US qualified for finals and won. Photos of Michael Phelps and the victory here.

PHOTOS:


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US Swimmer and Beijing relay gold medalist Ricky Berens tore the back of his swimsuit in a qualifying heat of the 4x100m relay freestyle on Sunday during the World Swimming Championships in Rome. Shor...
US Swimmer and Beijing relay gold medalist Ricky Berens tore the back of his swimsuit in a qualifying heat of the 4x100m relay freestyle on Sunday during the World Swimming Championships in Rome. Shor...
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johara95   08:14 AM on 8/04/2009
We should have known about ricky's assests way back at day five of the Bejing Games.

see attached below


http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/NMVqmEPfPqm/Olympics+Day+5+Swimming/olV35M161KB/Ricky+Berens
photo
Kimi HIAPO-MATTHEWS   11:04 PM on 8/17/2009
Thank you so much for this link. :)
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rick91   02:04 PM on 7/31/2009
I'm glad that HP is getting to the BOTTOM of this important story.
With pics!
kittyarmy   07:24 PM on 7/30/2009
That's funny! But do we really need close-up shots of his crack?
John Jacoby   11:11 PM on 8/01/2009
Um...Yes!
sloreader   06:36 PM on 7/30/2009
If his "split" was faster than normal his lo-tech "birthday suit" could become all the rage...
photo
KaPi   04:44 PM on 7/30/2009
It's one of those "high-tech" swimsuits...high-tech enough to have thermostatically controlled AC. Apparently the thermostat kicked on just before the race.
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yankeetwo   04:36 PM on 7/30/2009
Not only is that funny, but it's perfectly natural and normal, too, to show one's body, even in public. Americans, more than almost any other nationality or group, are SO unnaturally ashamed of our bodies! Ricky Berens has NO cause for shame, whatsoever! In fact, possessing a pretty GOOD body, as most swimmers do, he has some cause for pride. Not that I think those of us with less IDEAL bodies have any less cause for pride. ALL bodies are beautiful in their own ways.

Nudity should be permitted and appreciated in the US, at least on beaches and other suitable places. There is nothing prurient or obscene about a naked human body, or at least there wouldn't be if (public) nakedness were more commonplace. The only thing obscene is the observer who apparently HAS a prurient interest in nakedness, and who objects to it to the point of violating the freedom of others to be naked, in public, if they so choose.

The laws against nudity are truly much sicker than nudity ever could be.
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HarrietteTheSpy   04:46 PM on 7/30/2009
great post. and the ethos probably creates a lot of unwanted objectification and fixation on body parts such as women's breasts. sometimes I think there are laws to keep women covered just so SOME men (not you) can get their rocks off... let people be natural and watch how sexual obsession / addiction is mitigated too.

peace and love, hts
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larmarch5   02:40 PM on 7/31/2009
I teach a water fitness class for people with arthritis, disabilities or injuries. The biggest barrier the women must overcome is getting into and out of their swimsuits, much more difficult than men's trunks. I wish we could have a nude option class for them.
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Nicholas Merolla   07:19 AM on 8/01/2009
Great post; couldn't agree with you more. The very fact that Ricky's "wardrobe malfunction" as we so euphemistically like to term these things these days made news underscores your point. I look forward to the day when Ricky's butt is not news, but accepted as a just one of those things.
mvonkroeker   04:19 PM on 7/30/2009
Oh, c'mon!! I'm doing this every couples days... and nobody makes a big stink about it!!!
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yankeetwo   04:17 PM on 7/30/2009
THAT is funny!
Rapier   03:15 PM on 7/30/2009
Also side-splitting

http://ofthisandthat.org/SpeciealNews.html

Perfect political descriptions!
obamaluv   02:19 PM on 7/30/2009
but
kepary   02:14 PM on 7/30/2009
more hard hitting news from the huffington post
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eden4barack08   02:23 PM on 7/30/2009
Can you spell E N T E R T A I N M E N T ?
NoMoreInsanity   01:13 PM on 7/30/2009
Wow...I'm going to start swimming again.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
hollandjwm   12:38 PM on 7/30/2009
Is anyone EVER going to complain about this? Swimmers have some of the most physically perfect bodies in the world.
Rosemary43   12:18 PM on 7/30/2009
I think his rear is rather beautiful. I do feel bad if he suffered any embarrassment.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Mychaeltodd Robinson   12:05 PM on 7/30/2009
Maybe this can become a online bathing suit for sale.

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