Odd News - Athletes bare all for advertising campaign

Odd News - Athletes bare all for advertising campaign

LONDON (Reuters) - Some of Britain's top athletes have decided to bare all ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

Triple jumper Phillips Idowu, cyclist Rebecca Romero and swimmer Gregor Tait have all been photographed taking part in their individual sports stark naked as part of an advertising campaign for a sports drink.

"Everyone is used to seeing athletes in competition or winning, but we wanted to give people the chance to see the real make-up of an athlete and their muscle and power," said Cathryn Sleight, marketing director for Coca-Cola Great Britain, which launched the Powerade campaign.

Idowu said the photo shoot was "definitely one of the more unusual shoots I've taken part in, but also one of the most enjoyable."

(Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

(For more stories visit our multimedia website "Road to Beijing" at http://www.reuters.com/news/sports/2008olympics; and see our blog at http://blogs.reuters.com/china )

Australian swimmer recovers after shark attack

Australian swimmer recovers after shark attack
CTV.ca News Staff

An Australian man is recovering in hospital after being attacked by a shark while swimming in far southwestern Australia.

Jason Cull said he saw a shadow under the surface of the water, but thought it was a dolphin.

When the shark pulled him under on Saturday by grabbing a leg, he fought for his life.

"I felt along it, I found its eye and I poked it in the eye, and that's when it let go," the 37-year-old told reporters from his hospital bed in Albany on Sunday.

Albany is about 400 kilometres southwest of Perth.

Tom Marron, a spokesman for local surf lifesavers, said the attack occurred at Middleton Beach.

Beachgoers noticed three sharks on Saturday, estimating their size at up to five metres. Marron suspected the shark that attacked Cull was a white pointer.

Volunteer lifesaver Joanne Lucas went into the water to rescue Cull, he said.

"She heard the cries and splashing and knew they needed assistance and just went straight in," Marron said.

"She got hold of the injured swimmer and brought him back to shore," he said. "There was a fairly comprehensive mauling of his left leg, lost a lot of his calf, severe lacerations."

The beach has been closed.

Australia experiences about 15 shark attacks per year in its waters, one of the highest rates in the world.

On average, however, just over one per year is fatal.

A 16-year-old surfer died in April after a shark attack on Australia's eastern coast.

With files from The Associated Press