Johan Kenkhuis

As an Olympic medalist, he was one of the best swimmers in the world, helping the Dutch relay team top a sport that the Netherlands is not well known for. As a gay Olympian he has inspired others to pursue their dreams. His soft-spoken nature hides a fierce competitor, which when combined with his flawless body, boyish charm and strength in nature make Johan Kenkhuis one of the world's sexiest athletes.

Sexy Johan was born in Vriezenveen, the youngest of five to a family of great swimmers. Since large parts of the Netherlands are located below sea level, a swimming diploma is required by most of its residents. Toddlers are often taught to swim before they can even walk, and at five years old, Kenkhuis was learning that he had more than just a casual interest for the pool.  

While swimming may not be considered a huge sport in the Dutch country, as Kenkhuis explained in an interview with The Advocate, he had developed a passion for it. As others his age were attending social functions outside of school activities, Johan was spending most of his time in the water perfecting his skills. 

His first major competition was the European Junior Championships, and he returned the following year to capture individual gold medals in two disciplines.

In 1998, he was part of the world record winning 200-meter freestyle relay team. It was at these championships that he met other great athletes like Jenny Thompson of the United States.  

"I knew then that I could do more if I wanted to,” he explained to the press. And so he went back to work in the pool with a goal to make the Olympic team.  

His determined work ethic kicked in, and in Sydney, he qualified for both of his individual race finals and helped lead the relay team to an impressive bronze medal. He also helped the Netherlands win a silver medal the following year at the FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan as a member of the 1x400 meter freestyle relay team.  

Despite his many successes in the pool, Johan began to feel burn out from the intense 8-hour days in the pool and with little thanks, decided that it may be time to hang up his swim trunks. 

While the United States, Australia and other countries create superstars out of their Olympic swimmers with endorsements, parades, and star recognition, the Netherlands never really seemed to promote it’s swimmers in the same way.  

"It's not a very popular sport," Kenkhuis explained in his interview with The Advocate. "We have soccer and speed skating and cycling; they are more popular sports than swimming."  

After a few months break, however, Johan realized that he missed his competitive life and wanted to return to the sport. His new team coach Fedor Hes had developed a new way of training that focused on activities out of the water, and the new training invigorated the young athlete.  

He finished fourth at the World Championships in 2003 and earned a spot on the Olympic squad for Athens the following year.  

Heading into the Games, only 10 out of 10,000 were recognized as out gay athletes. During an impromptu interview about the upcoming event, Johan told a reporter that his boyfriend Jose would be joining him at the event to watch the competition.  

In most counties, an out athlete in an Olympic swimming competition would have been national headline, but Johan insisted that it was no big deal in the Netherlands.  

"It has been known on my swim team for many years. My parents already knew. It's nothing," Johan told Pridesource.com.  

It may have been nothing to Johan, but the image of a successful gay athlete is an inspiration to the gay community, who has used him as a poster boy for gay sports.

Alongside Pieter van den Hoogenband, Mitja Zastrow and Klaas-Erik Zwering, Johan earned a silver medal in the relay event at the Olympics.  

Although he was reportedly only one of eleven LGBT athletes at the event, he insisted that there were others.  

"Reporters always talk to athletes about sports, because that's the reason why we are in the media in the first place," he told Pridesource.com. "A subject like sexuality or something else of that nature doesn't come along in interviews that much. They are just focused on what they do best and that's competing."  

Following the Games, Johan stepped away from professional swimming and did a brief stint on Dutch television show Van jonge leu en oale groond. His perfect body has also inspired a workout series using swimming to help create lean muscle mass, cut abs, as well as strength training and endurance.  

Currently there has been no confirmation on whether this hottie will compete at the upcoming games, but there is a possibility that he will return, and at 27 years old, he is certain to still be in his prime.  

Johan may not be well known around the world or even in his own country, but his nonchalant attitude about being a gay athlete has surely been an inspiration to the community at large.  

His stunning smile and his amazing physique will no doubt be one to ogle over if he indeed decides to return to the water at the 2008 Beijing Games.