Alena Zavarzina Алёна Игоревна Заварзина (RUS, Snowboarding)

Alena Zavarzina Алёна Игоревна Заварзина is a world-class snowboarder. She is at the forefront of the gradual rise of Russia in the exciting discipline. The Russian won gold at the 2011 FIS Snowboarding World Championship, topping the parallel giant slalom competition. She improved considerably from her performance at the 2010 Winter Olympics, where she finished in 17th place.

 Photo from Wikimedia

  The 22-year old Alena, despite her youth, is an experienced competitor. Since her World Cup debut in 2006, the Russian has had 31 starts in the top notch competition. Zavarzina has reached the World Cup podium four times, since her 2009 victory in Telluride, Colorado. 

Alena was only the second Russian to win a World Championship title. After her landmark victory in January 2011, however, Zavarzina succumbed to a knee injury. It took months for the Russian to recover, but she eventually made a return to World Cup competition in October 2011, notching a respectable 12th place in the parallel slalom in Landgraaf.

At the vanguard of her nation's snowboarding hopes, Zavarzina will still be only 25-years old when the Winter Olympics comes to Sochi, Russia in 2014.

Alex Morgan (USA, Football)

Alex Morgan was the youngest member of the 2011 U.S. Women's World Cup team, which finished runners-up behind Japan. Morgan is a striker and plays her club football for the Seattle Sounders Women. Morgan earned her college degree at the University of Southern California, leading the Golden Bears in goals scored in her freshman and sophomore years.

Photo from Fifa

She made her international debut for the United States for the U20 team in 2008. She had a total of 10 appearances for the youth team, scoring five goals in international competition. Barely out of her teens, Morgan was called up for the senior team in 2010. To date, she has 38 apps and 22 goals in senior competition.

Morgan found the back of the net twice during last year's World Cup in Germany, scoring in the semis against France and in the finals against Japan.

Areerat Sanorseang (THA, Volleyball)

Women's volleyball has been gradually increasing in popularity in the Philippines. This new found love affair probably started in the late nineties, when Brazilian Leila Barros caught Filipino hearts. The Shakey's V-League is the Philippines premiere commercial competition, featuring mostly collegiate talents. The teams, however, are allowed a certain number of foreigners to beef up their ranks. 

 Photo from Suan Sunandha Volleyball Club Facebook

The prolific Thai volleybelles have made an impact in local shores, raising the game of play at the fledging league. The 26-year old Areerat "Eve" Sanorseang is one such example. Sanorseang first came to the Philippines as an import for De La Salle University back in 2007, where she teamed up with the explosive Manilla Santos.

In the 9th season of the V-League, Sanorseang is with the resurgent Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws. The 5'7 Thai can man the middle, open and utility positions, according to her Facebook fan page. In Thailand, she plays for the Chaiyaphum Volleyball Club.  

Additional Link:
Areerat's Facebook Fan Page

Kaori Kodaira 小平 花織 (JPN, Volleyball)

Kaori Kodaira 小平 花織 plays the wing position for Japanese volleyball club Toray Arrows 東レ・アローズ. The Arrows, a many-time V-League champion, lost a tightly-contested match against Tianjin at the recently concluded Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship. Kodaira played magnificently in that five-setter, with her timely daredevil spikes against the taller Chinese defense.

 Kaori in Action (Photo from Toray Arrows website)

The 22-year old first took up volleyball in her elementary school days. She attended the Saki Minemura junior high school. As a high school student in Tokai University, she competed at the 2008 Asian Junior Championships. 

Kaori joined Toray in 2009, bolstering the club's offensive arsenal. 

Sources: 

Kaori's Toray Arrows profile 

Wikipedia

Kim Yu-Na 김연아 (ROK, Figure Skating)

Kim Yu-Na's 김연아  list of accolades are impressive, to say the least. Kim has won titles in the Olympics and World Championships, not to mention various Grand Prix crowns on top her stellar achievements as a talented junior. According to her Wikipedia biography, Kim is the first figure skater to hold Olympic, World and Four Continents titles.

A victorious Kim displays her 2009 World Championship gold (Photo from Wikipedia)

The popular Kim is one of South Korea's biggest sports stars. She has multitudes of lucrative endorsement deals that range from cosmetics, airlines to dairy products. In a testament to her versatile, off-skating rink talents, Kim also dabbles in music, recording a song for the 2010 World Cup.

Using her fame and influence, Kim campaigned tireless for Pyeongchang's successful bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Anna Rawson (AUS, Golf Beauty)

Most aesthetically-gifted athletes make a name for themselves in sports first, then branch out to modelling. Anna Rawson was different. Her modelling breakthrough actually preceded her bursting out of the national sporting consciousness. 

Photo from Wikipedia

Prior to winning the South Australia and Victoria junior championships, Rawson appeared in various media, thanks to her strong showing in a local modelling competition. The Adelaide-raised golfer also won the 1999 edition of the Jack Newton International Junior Classic.

She attended the University of Southern California on a golf scholarship. According to her USC student-athlete profile, the talented Australian also dabbled in netball. After spending four seasons in the NCAA, Rawson turned professional in 2004. She joined the LPGA tour in 2008.

Additional links:
Official Website

Sources:
USC Biography
Wikipedia

Sabine Lisicki (GER, Tennis Beauty)

Sabine Lisicki made waves around the tennis world a few days back, as she shocked French Open Champion Li Na 李娜 at the Second Round of Wimbledon. Lisicki, a wild card entry, utilized her booming serves and fancy forehand to eke out a well-earned win over Li, 3-6, 6-4, 8-6.

Read The Guardian report on Lisicki's win here

Lisicki in action (Photo from Christian Mesiano)

Prior to the aforesaid match, Lisicki had reached the 2009 quarterfinals of Wimbledon. An ankle injury cut short her breakout season, where she ranked as high as No. 22. As she recuperated from her injury, her WTA ranking fell "outside 200."

With Lisicki's groundbreaking win over Li and her recovery from the injuries of the years past, Lisicki is on target to at least match her 2009 record at the All-England Club.

Additional links:

Sabine Lisicki's Official Site

Sabine's Facebook Fan Page

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Almudena Cid (SPA, Gymnastics Beauty)

In an event where prepubescent girls reign supreme, Almudena Cid at 30 years old is a dinosaur - a beautiful one at that! The Spanish individual rhythmic gymnast is the oldest active competitor in the discipline.

Photo from Wikipedia

Cid has been a member of Spain's gymnastics squad since 1994. To date, she has competed in a total of four Olympics (1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008) - reaching the finals in Atlanta and Sydney. The Spaniard placed 9th in her discipline in both 1996 and 2000, an impressive feat considering the hegemony of Eastern European athletes in the event.