Large and in Charge: Olympic Athletes Who Don't Fit the Mold

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Can an Athlete Be Overweight and Fit?

She's 5' 10" and 150 pounds, but some in the media say Australian swimmer Leisel Jones is fat.

Jones may have the last laugh. She won her ninth Olympic medal last Saturday at the London 2012 Olympics, earning a silver medal in the 4x100-meter medley relay (the gold went to the world record-shattering American team). The swimmer's first Olympic competition was in Sydney in 2000, and she's been racking up wins and medals ever since.

The athletes featured here may not fit the mold of the typical Olympic athlete, but that doesn't mean they should be judged for their size—they're far fitter than the average person. So before making any disparaging remarks as you click through the gallery, ask yourself this: Do you have what it takes to compete in the Olympics?

(Photo: Getty Images Sport)

Elisa Casanova, Italy

6' 1", 220 pounds

Casanova plays in the hole (an offense position two meters in front of the net) and serves as captain for the Italian women's water polo team. Her team was eliminated by the United States in the quarter finals.

(Photo: Laszlo Balogh/Reuters)

Zhou Lulu, China

5' 9", 289 pounds

Lulu won the gold medal in the over 75 kg women’s weightlifting competition. She set a world record by lifting 333 kg in two lifts. She had a snatch of 146 kg and a clean and jerk of 187 kg.

(Photo: Suhaib Salem/Reuters)

Ricardo Blas Jr., Guam

6' 1", 481 pounds

Blas Jr. made it to the quarter finals in Judo’s over 100 kg division. CNN reported that he started in judo at age five and his father was Guam's first Olympic athlete in 1988.

(Photo: Darren Staples/Reuters)

Christian Cantwell, USA

6' 5", 335 pounds

Cantwell received the silver medal in the shotput during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. In London he came in fourth place with a throw of 21.19 meters. The Kansas City Star said the athlete was four centimeters short of winning the bronze medal.

(Photo: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)

Fernando Saraiva Reis, Brazil

6' 2", 309 pounds

Reis placed 12th in the over 105 kg division in weightlifting. The athlete is known for his heavily tattooed upper arms.

(Photo: Dominic Edenbichler/Reuters)

Ihar Makarau, Belarus

6' 0", 287 pounds

Markarau (shown standing) was the 2004 gold medalist in judo’s 100 kg division. In London he lost in the quarterfinals.

(Photo: Darren Staples/Reuters)

Reese Hoffa, USA

5' 11", 324 pounds

Hoffa won the bronze medal in the shotput with a throw of 21.23 meters. After the win, Hofffa, an adoptee, told the Associated Press, "If you're a loving, caring mother and father looking for a child, adoption is an incredible option. I'm definitely a testament to that."

(Photo: Eddie Keogh/Reuters)

Holley Mangold, USA

5' 8", 350 pounds

Despite tearing tendons in her wrist before the Olympics, Mangold decided to compete. She finished 10th in the over 75 kg division in weightlifting. During the Olympics, Mangold tweeted, "its crazy @lolojones gets flack for being an attractive athlete and I get flack for not being attractive enough."

(Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Sarah Robles, USA

5' 10", 273 pounds

Robles finished seventh in a field of 14 competitors in the over 75 kg women’s weightlifting competition. Robles writes about weightlifting on her blog, Pretty Strong.

(Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Jillian Camarena-Williams, USA

5' 10", 250 pounds

Camarena-Williams failed to qualify for the women’s shotput finals because of a lingering back injury, but she holds a number of national titles. Jezebel reported that the athlete, who also competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, did her master's thesis on the physics of shotputting.

(Photo: Phil Noble/Reuters)

Chiara Rosa, Italy

5' 10", 243 pounds

Rosa placed 15th in the women’s shotput with a throw of 18.3 meters. According to her Olympic profile, she studied linguistics at the University of Padua in Italy.

(Photo: Phil Noble/Reuters)

Do you think an athlete can be in shape and overweight? Tell us in the comments

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Andrew Freeman is a California native with a degree in history from UCLA. He’s covered a wide range of topics for TakePart, but is particularly interested in politics and policy. Email Andrew |@natureofdabeast | TakePart.com

Large and in Charge: Olympic Athletes Who Don't Fit the Mold

Can an Athlete Be Overweight and Fit?

(Photo: Getty Images Sport)

Elisa Casanova, Italy

(Photo: Laszlo Balogh/Reuters)

Zhou Lulu, China

(Photo: Suhaib Salem/Reuters)

Ricardo Blas Jr., Guam

(Photo: Darren Staples/Reuters)

Christian Cantwell, USA

(Photo: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)

Fernando Saraiva Reis, Brazil

(Photo: Dominic Edenbichler/Reuters)

Ihar Makarau, Belarus

(Photo: Darren Staples/Reuters)

Reese Hoffa, USA

(Photo: Eddie Keogh/Reuters)

Holley Mangold, USA

(Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Sarah Robles, USA

(Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Jillian Camarena-Williams, USA

(Photo: Phil Noble/Reuters)

Chiara Rosa, Italy

(Photo: Phil Noble/Reuters)

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