Not Every Olympian Is Jacked: Fat and Athleticism Aren't Mutually Exclusive

You Don't Have To Be Thin To Be An Elite Athlete

When the Olympics turns the spotlight on athletes, audiences see some competitors who have far-from-average physiques. But. Just as not all lean and/or visibly muscular people are athletes, not all athletes are lean and/or visibly muscular.

As previously discussed, an Australian paper mocked the body of (three-time gold medalist!) swimmer Leisel Jones — and was the target of intense backlash. Fellow swimmer Melanie Schlanger expressed her deep embarassment for the Aussie media, and tweeted: "U can't judge fitness from looks anyway and how about we don't criticize at all." In a column for the Vancouver Sun, Christie Blatchford writes:

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