Aussie sports star poses nude for ESPN The Magazine
Australian sailor Jimmy Spithill has appeared in the nude for ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue.
The annual issue aims to 'celebrate the athletic form' by having a number of high-profile sporting stars pose in the buff.
A black-and-white image showcases Spithill's ripped physique while a colour photo depicts him performing the sport he loves.
"People probably imagine an older, rich guy going out to his boat in a blazer for a nice leisurely sail. It’s actually the opposite," Spithill told ESPN
"You can no longer just be a good sailor. You have to be an incredible athlete as well."
Alongside Spithill are a number of high-profile US and international athletes, including tennis player Venus Williams.
"It didn’t dawn on me until right when I walked on set that I would have to be without clothes," Williams said.
"If I would have thought about it before, there may have been a little less of a chance."
But the most interesting inclusion in the Body Issue is Major League Baseball star Prince Fielder, who shows it’s not all about ripped abs and toned physiques.
"You don’t have to look like an Under Armour mannequin to be an athlete," Fielder said.
"A lot of people probably think I’m not athletic or don’t even try to work out or whatever, but I do. Just because you’re big doesn’t mean you can’t be an athlete. And just because you work out doesn’t mean you’re going to have a 12-pack.
"I’m not going up there trying to be a fitness model."
The Texas Rangers slugger weighs in at a whopping 125 kilograms.
