Happy Birthday Phelps!

Quotable Quotes: Ryan Lochte

“Pain, tolerance, endurance—when it comes down to that point, there’s always something left. You just have to find it.” — Ryan Lochte

Bonus: NBC London Olympics 2012: Ryan Lochte

The Hulk

Givanildo Vieira de Souza is a Brazilian football player who plays as a forward and winger in the Portugese league team Porto. He is nicknamed "Hulk."

He previously played for Vitoria (2004-05) in Salvador, Bahia, then moved to Japan to play for Kawasaki Frontale (2006-08) and Consadole Sapporo (2006). He was then loaned to Tokyo Verdy (2007-08), after which he moved to Portugal and signed up with Porto in 2008.

Hulk also plays internationally for Brazil, debuting in November 2009 in a friendly versus England. So far he has scored three goals for Brazil in international competitions.

Born: July 25, 1986 in Campina Grande, Brazil
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 76 kg






Career Highlights:

• Extended his contract with Porto until 2014 with a buyout price of 100 million euros
• Elected into Top 10 Rising Stars by UEFA
• Footballer of the Month in Premeira Liga, six times

Fabio Fognini

Fabio Fognini is an Italian professional tennis player. He is ranked No. 2 in Italy, and has reached a high of no. 32 in the ATP world rankings. He is currently world no. 63. 


His best showing in a Grand Slam event is quarterfinals in 2011 Roland Garros. He lost to Roger Federer in the second round of the 2012 Wimbledon.






Born: May 24, 1987 in San Remo, Italy
Height: 5'10" 
Weight: 160 lbs 
Website: Twitter

Career Highlights: 

• Career win-loss record: 86-115
• Career prize money: $2,126,295 (as of June 2012)
• won one ATP doubles title (with Simone Bolelli) in Umag, Croatia
• finalist in ATP singles event in Bucharest, lost to Giles Simon
• finalist in three other ATP doubles events

Ryan Lochte on Men's Health

Bruno Senna

Bruno Senna is a Formula One racing driver from Brazil, currently racing for the Williams team. He debuted in F1 in 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix, for the Hispania Racing team, then moved to Renault in 2011.


Bruno is the nephew of Formula One champion Ayrton Senna.






Born: October 15, 1983 in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Height: 1.8 m
Weight: 69 kg
Website: brunosenna.com.br/en/






Career Highlights:

• Raced for the British Formula Three in 2005
• Joined the GP2 Series from 2007 to 2008
• Signed up for Hispania on October 30, 2009, for the 2010 season
• Scored his first F1 points at the 2011 Italian Grand Prix
• won the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy in Italy

Tony Azevedo

Antony Azevedo is the captain of the United States water polo team. He is considered one of the best all-around water polo players in the world. He also played in various professional leagues.


Azevedo was born in Brazil but his family migrated to the United States when he was a baby. He graduated in Stanford University.






Born: November 21, 1981 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 198 lbs
Website: tonyazevedo.net


Career Highlights:

• Won silver (team) in 2008 Olympics men's water polo
• Won bronze (team) in FINA World League men's water polo
• Played for Brazilian team Fluminense in 2011
• Played for Croatian team J.K. Primorac from 2009-11
• Played for New York Athletic Club, 2008-present
• Played for Can Bissolati (Italian league) from 2005 to 2007

Nicklas Bendtner

Nicklas Bendtner is a Danish soccer player, playing as striker for the English Premier League team Arsenal, which he joined in 2004. He was loaned to Birmingham City in 2006-2007 season, and to Sunderland in 2011-2012. 

Bendtner also plays for Denmark in international competitions, appearing for U16, U17, U19 and U21 teams during his youth, and to the senior team since 2006. He is part of the Euro 2012 squad, which he scored twice in a match against Portugal on June 2012.

He gained notoriety during the competition when he was fined for showing his underwear after scoring a goal. He was handed a 100,000-euro fine and a ban match for the 2014 qualifying. 

Born: January 16, 1988 in Copenhagen, Denmark
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 185 lbs
Website: nicklas-bendtner.com 






Achievements/Career Highlights:

• Named 2004 Danish Under-17 Player of the Year
• Youngest Danish to be selected as part of the U-21 team, at age 18
• Youngest to join the Danish senior team, at age 18
• 2010 Danish Player of the Year
• scored a crucial goal during the 2010 World Cup qualifier vs. Portugal

Julien Arias

Julien Arias is a French rugby union player, playing the wing position for the Stade Francaise Paris team of the Top 14 league. He is also a member of France's national rugby union team. 

Arias became famous for featuring on cover of the 2007 Dieux du Stade calendar. 




Born: October 26, 1983 in Marsaille, France
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 181 lbs


Career Highlights:

• Test debut on June 27, 2009 in Sydney, Australia vs. France
• Played for US Colomiers from 2000-2004
• Played for France A in 2005

Gymnasts in Action

Jonathan Horton




Jacob Dalton

Vanja Udovicic

Vanja Udovičić is a Serbian professional water polo player. As part of the Serbian national water polo team, he won 2 Olympic medals and several gold medals in World and European  championships.


He currently plays professionally for Mladost Zagreb. Previously he was affiliated with Partizan Belgrade, Jadran Herceg, Pro Recco, among others.

Born: September 12, 1982 in Belgrade, Serbia
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 225 lbs
Website: Facebook






Career Highlights:

• Won bronze medal (team) at the 2008 Olympics men's water polo competition
• Won silver medal (team) at the 2004 Olympics
• Won gold (team) at 2005 and 2009 World Championships, silver in 2011 and bronze in 2003
• Won gold (team) in 2003, 2006 and 2012 European championships, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2010
• Won gold (team) in FINA World League 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011

Alexander Naddour

Alexander Naddour is an American gymnast. He is bidding to join the United States gymnastics squad for the 2012 Olympics in London. 






Born: 1991 in Gilbert, Arizona
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 155 lbs

Career Highlights:

• won the pommel horse event at the 2010 NCAA Championships
• placed third in all-around competition at the 2010 NCAA Championships
• won bronze (for team) at the World Team competition in Japan

Olivier Giroud

Olivier Giroud is a French striker, currently playing for French Ligue 1 team Montpellier. Reports suggest that he will be signed up bu Arsenal for £12 million in 2012. 


Giroud also plays in international competitions, debuting in November 2011 in a match vs, Belgium. He was named part of the Uero 2012 squad by France. 

Born: September 30, 1986 
Height: 6'3 1/2" 
Weight: 194 lbs 
Website: Twitter



 
Career Highlights: 

• Played for Grenoble from 2005-2008 
• Played for Istres, on loan, from 2007-08 
• Played for Tours from 2008-2010 
• scored his first international goal in February 29, 2012, in a friendly vs Germany
• UNFP Player of the Month in Ligue 2, September & November 2009

King of Clay Wins Roland Garros

Rafael Nadal bested Novak Djokovic in four sets, to win his record-breaking 7th French Open title, one more than Bjorn Borg's.



The victory is Nadal's 11th Grand Slam title, and he is now tied with Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver for fourth with the most number of Grand Slams. Only Roger Federer (16), Pete Sampras (13), and Roy Emerson (12) has more.


Nadal also improved his record in Roland Garros to 52-1, with the only loss coming from Robin Sodering in the 2009 French Open 4th round. This is also his 35th title on clay, cementing his moniker as "The King of Clay."

Brendan Hansen

Brendan Hansen is an American swimmer, primarily competing in breaststroke competitions. He won four Olympic medals and 19 more from Pan Pacific and World championships.






Hansen retired in 2008 but is making a comeback for the 2012 Olympics.


Born: August 15, 1981 in Haverford Township, PA
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 189 lbs
Website: brendanhansenonline.com

Achievements/Career Highlights:

• won silver in 100-m breaststroke and bronze in 200-m breaststroke in 2004 Olympics
• won gold in 4x100 relay in 2004 and 2008 Olympics
• won gold in 100-m breaststroke and silver in 50-m breaststroke in  2007 World Aquatics Championships

Shaun Johnson

Shaun Johnson is a New Zealand half-back/five-eighths, currently playing for New Zealand Warriors. He debuted in the National Rugby League in June 2011, after two years playing under Junior Warriors . He is signed up for the Warriors until 2014.






Born: September 8, 1990 in New Zealand
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 92 kg

Career Highlights:

• 2011 Young NRL Player of the Year
• Played for the Auckland Vulcans in 2010 NSW Cup
• Scored 25 tries, 159 goals and 422 points in Toyota Cup
• Selected as halfback for the New Zealand Kiwis squad for 2012 ANZAC Test

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is a French professional tennis player, currently ranked number five in the world, a career high (as of June 7, 2012). He is also the No. 1 ranked French player.

His highest achievement is reaching the finals of the 2008 Australian Open. So far  he has won eight ATP singles titles, including the 2008 Paris Masters, as well as four ATP doubles titles. He recently reached the quarterfinals of the 2012 French Open, losing to Novak Djokovic in five sets.

He turned pro in 2004. Tsonga has French and Congolese parentage.

Born: April 17, 1985 in Le Mans, France 

Height: 6'2" 

Weight: 91 kg

Residence: Gingins, Switzerland

Website: www.jowilfriedtsonga.com

Achievements/Career Highlights:

• Reached a career high of number 5 on February 27, 2012
• Career prize money: $9.033 million
• Career Win-Loss record: 213-97
• Reached the semifinals of 2011 Winbledon, and quarterfinals of 2011 US Open
• Reached the finals of the 2011 World Tour Finals, losing to Roger Federer 

Faces of Ronaldo

Pavlo Rozenberg

Pavlo Rozenberg is a German diver, competing in 1-meter and 3-meter springboard competitions.  His diving partner is Sascha Klein. 

Born: July 22, 1983
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 150 lbs


Career Highlights:

• Placed fifth in 2008 Olympics 3-meter springboard final 
• Won bronze medal at the 2009 European Championships 1-meter springboard
• Won bronze medal at the 2011World Championships 1-meter springboard

Mark Striegl

Mark Martinez Striegl is a Filipino-American mixed martial artist, currently fighting in lightweight and featherweight divisions. As of this writing, he is undefeated in 10 fights.

Striegl trained in Tae Kwon Do and wrestling before transitioning to mixed martial arts. His nickname is "Mugen."

Born: June 23, 1988, in Tokyo, Japan

Height: 5'8"

Weight: 145 lbs

Residence: Baguio City, Philippines

Website: Twitter 

Career Highlights:

• Debuted in MMA in 2009 at the Total Combat 24, defeating Andy Jewett
• Moved to Asia in 2010, first fighting in Taiwan, then in the URCC, the professional MMA circuit in the Philippines
•  undefeated in ten fights, won 8 by submission and 2 by decision
• signed for Legend FC in 2010