Naked and Unafraid

Naked and Unafraid

America's Top Athletes Proudly show off Impeccably Toned Physiques 

ESPN 

'The Body Issue'

Sports stars gracing the pages of this year's issue

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED:  8 July 2013  

Athletes rely on their toned physiques to excel and in the fifth annual ESPN Magazine's The Body Issue 20 sports stars have stripped down to celebrate those God-given talents.

In the much-celebrated issue, which hits newsstands on July 12, gorgeous blond NHRA funny car racer Courtney Force and Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried each grace one of eight covers, while New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey also shows off his fine form.

Laying provocatively on a huge car tire in the desert, 25-year-old Force is certainly a force to be reckoned with. In another shot, the driver is pictured nude carrying a red gas can down the middle of an empty road.

She told The New York Daily News that she had to train extra hard to keep up with her male counterparts on the track. 'We're driving 10,000 horsepower cars and although I am a female, I have to work extra hard to drive one of these cars to keep up with the men.'

 NHRA funny car racer Courtney Force graces one of eight covers

Harvey poses with nothing but his mitt and a baseball in the magazine and a second image shows his sneaking out of a hotel room, naked, with dirty dishes covering his modesty.

The right-hander is used to being in the limelight for his feats on the field, but stripping off for the American public in 'The Body Issue' was another ball game.

'It was kind of nerve-racking at first,' Harvey told The Daily News. 'I've never been fully nude in front of random people like that before - especially with a camera around. But now that it is all done, it was a fun experience.'

Other stars featured this year included Miesha Tate, the 26-year-old No. 1 bantamweight contender on the women's Ultimate Fighting Championship circuit, posing in nothing but a pair of pink boxing gloves on the beach and professional snowboarder Elena Hight, who goes bare down a mountain with just her board.

Basketball player Faried also snagged a cover this year and the 23-year-old, nicknamed the 'Manimal,' shows off his impeccably toned physique again in the spread with his weapon of choice - a basketball - in his grip.

Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried shows off his chiseled form as he grips a basketball with his fingertips

Age: 23
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 228 pounds

Miesha Tate, the 26-year-old No. 1 bantamweight contender on the women's Ultimate Fighting Championship circuit, posing in nothing but a pair of pink boxing gloves on the beach

New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey also shows off his fine form with his mitt and a baseball in hand

Age: 24
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 225 pounds

Force, 25, is certainly a force to be reckoned with, appearing nude carrying a red gas can down the middle of an empty road in the magazine's spread

Faried also appears on one of eight covers, mid slam dunk 

Professional snowboarder Elena Hight, bares all down a mountain with just her board 

Right-hander Harvey is used to being in the limelight for his feats on the field, but stripping off for the American public was another ball game, he said
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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2358309/ESPN-The-Body-Issue-Americas-athletes-proudly-impeccably-toned-physiques.html#ixzz2YbDKaWFI
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Giancarlo Stanton, MLB

Stanton says playing multiple sports as a kid helped his baseball career.

 

Age: 23
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 250 pounds

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Sydney Leroux, NWSL

 

 The soccer star has struggled with how she looks but says she's now comfortable with her body.

Age: 23

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 146 pounds

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John Isner, Tennis

 

Isner tries not to feel any pressure when he's on the court.

Age: 28
Height: 6'10"
Weight: 238 pounds
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Agnieszka Radwanska, Tennis

Radwanska likes to do at least 300 sit-ups in a single session.

Age: 24
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 120 pounds

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