CZECH BEAUTIES PETRA NEMCOVA

Today’s post is going to be dedicated to Czech supermodel Petra Nemcova. Petra has a terrible story behind her because she was one of the survivors of the Sri Lankan tsunami disaster. Petra was born in Karvina, Czech Republic, on the 24th of June 1979. Although quite young she’s a veteran in the fashion world. A woman of humble origin (his father was a bricklayer and her mother a school teacher) Petra started working as a model after being discovered in her hometown in a national contest to find new talents. Petra became famous in 1999 when she got a role in an American TV show presented by Craig Kilborn. Craig declared his love for Petra and said she would appear in Sports Illustrated before 2003. He was absolutely right.

In 2001 Petra starred in the Frech version of the British comedy “Absolutely Fabulous”. Altough reviews were not too good this comedy allowed Petra to keep on working on TV and movies in the next future. In 2002 Petra appeared in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition which marked the start of her career as a model. Hereafter Petra signed for Next Modeling Agency, Cartier and Max Factor and appeared in Harper’s Bazaar and Elle amongst other important fashion magazines. So successful was her debut for Sports Illustrated in 2002 that the following year Petra was signed to grace the cover of the magazine. Petra has also walked down the catwalk for Victoria’s Secret and many other top fashion firms. 2004 would become a nightmare for Petra Nemcova. Petra fell in love with Simon Atlee a British fashion photographer. They got engaged and decided to have a relaxing Christmas Holidays in Thailand.

As you know a devastating tsunami struck the Southeastern part of Asia and her fiance drowned in the water whirl that devastated Khao Lak resort where they were spending their holidays. Petra emerged unscathed from the disaster although she broke her pelvis and suffered life-threatening internal injures. She survived by climbing to the top of a palm-tree where she was holding up for eight hours until she was finally rescued. Petra stayed in a hospital for three weeks recovering from her injuries and she didn´t find out her fiance was dead until the New Year had already started because Atlee's body was not found until over two months after the tsunami. It took Petra a long time to recover from her injuries and the loss of her sweetheart but she showed a strong determination to get back to work and in 2006 she appeared again in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. These are her measurements.

Height: 179 cms (5 ft 10 in)

Weight: 54 kgs (117lbs)

Measurements: 84-61-86.5 (34B-24-35)

Hair color: brown

Eye color: hazel

Dress size: 34

Shoe size: 39 (8)

After Atlee’s death she seems to have dated British singer James Blunt although they are no longer together. Early in 2008 there was a rumour that she could be dating Sean Penn as they were seen together a number of times but it was never confirmed. Since 2004 Petra has been actively involved in fund raising campaigns aimed at getting money for the impoverished people. Glamour magazine gave her an award for the way she got over after the Tsunami. Petra has also become a writer. She wrote “Love Always” where she describes her childhood under the communist regime in Czechoslovakia, the way she went into modeling and her appearance in Sports Illustrated that launched her to fame. The book also describes her relation with Simon Atlee, how she fell in love with him and they got engaged. I’ll finish the post leaving a slideshow with the best Petra Nemcova snapshots and a video of this wonderful Czech beauty. Best regards.

CANDICE SWANEPOEL YOUNGEST VICTORIA'S SECRET ANGEL

Dear readers of sportandbeauty. We are very pleased to dedicate today's post to a South African stunner. She's a model, a beautiful one. She's not very well known yet but in my humble opinionshe will achieve greater fame in the near future. She's already walked down the catwalk for Victoria's Secret in 2007 & 2008 Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows. Let me introduce you Candice Swanepoel a real angel-faced stunner.

Candice Swanepoel was born on October 20th 1988 in Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She's a fellow countrywoman of one of my favorite actresses, Charlize Theron. As it often happens, Candice was discovered by talent scout Kevin Ellis in a flea market in Durban when she was only 15 years old. The next year our friend Candice already earned more than 5000$ per day. No wonder because Candice Swanepoel's physical appearance and measurements are really outstanding.

Name: Candice Swanepoel

Date of birth: October 20th 1998 in Mooi River, South Africa

Height: 178 centimetres (5'10")

Measurements: (EU) 84-59.5-86.5; (US) 33-23.5-34

Eye color: blue

Hair color: light brown

Dress size: (EU) 34; (US) 4

Shoe size: (EU) 39; (US) 7

Agencies: Ice Model Management South Africa, Viva Models París, Why Not Model Agency, Select Model Management, IMG Models New York, Elite Model Management Barcelona e IMG Models London

Since Candice's discovery she has graced the cover of a number of magazines such as "Vogue" Greece and the German edition of "ELLE" in June 2008. We have to admit that Candice looks gorgeous in the covers of the magazines but I love Candice sporting  lingerie outfits. She's the number 1. Have a look at these Dolce Gabbana outfits mainly the leopard printed one. I'm about to suffer a heart attack looking at it....

Nowadays Candice is a very busy model. In the last years she has participated in ad campaigns for Diesel, Fornarina, Guess, Kensie, Spezzato, Stimorol, Topshop and Versus eyewear. In 2006 she walked down the catwalk for Tommy Hilfiger and Dolce & Gabbana Spring-Summer collections and for Alice Roi, Amuleti J, Betsey Johnson, Carmen Marc Valvo, Cynthia Rowley, Heatherette, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, Sass & Bide, Ter et Bantine, Trussardi and Zang Toi Fall-Winter collections. Have a look at the second picture. She can either look like a "femme fatale" or an aggressive and smart businesswoman. Anyway I can't get the leopard-printed lingerie outfit out of my mind.....

In 2007 tireless Candice Swanepoel kept on working around the clock and she hit the catwalk for Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Amuleti J, Diane von Furstenberg, Evisu, Krizia, Luisa Beccaria, Manuel, Marc Bouwer, Nanette Lepore, Pamella Roland, Pin-Up Stara and Trussardi Spring-Summer collections and Rock & Republic Fall-Winter. At the end of 2007 Candice got her big breakthrough when she was selected to participate alongside Adriana Lima, Ana Beatriz Barros and Izabel Goulart, amongst others, in the 2007 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show held in the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. Candice and Sabrina Jales were about to be selected as permanent Victoria's Secret angels but in the end Marisa Miller and Doutzen Kroes got the job. Candice seems to have been born just to model lingerie outfits.....

In 2008 Candice Swanepoel has walked the catwalk for the best fashion designers such as Abaete, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Amuleti J, Baby Phat, Betsey Johnson, Development by Erica Davies, Enrico Coveri, Frankie Morello, Lorenzo Riva, Marc Bouwer, Miss Bikini, Pamella Roland, Pin-Up Stars, Thread Social and Trussardi Spring-Summer collections and Baby Phat, Betsey Johnson, Douglas Hannant, Lela Rose, Nanette Lepore, Pamella Roland, Rock & Republic, Tory Burch and Zang Toi Fall-Winter. She is said to have a nippel piercing. I hope she'll show it some day. To conclude I'll leave a slideshow with the best pictures of this gorgeous South African model and two Candice Swanepoel's videos. The second one shows Candice walking the catwalk in the 2007 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Best regards.