Dancing With The Stars Will The Athletes Win Again

Dancers and athletes both train hard and have to be very disciplined in order to reach their goal. Long hours and physical training is key to their success. Success is what most athletes who participate on Dancing With The Stars have. Of the past eight seasons, five of the champions have been athletes.

The first athlete to win the mirrored trophy was football legend Emmitt Smith in season three with Cheryl Burke. This was the start of a long win streak for the athletes, as speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno who won season four with partner Julianne Hough. In season five, Indy car driver Helio Castroneves took the honors again for the athletes giving Hough her second title.

The athletes continued their win streak in season six was won by another Olympic star, Kristi Yamaguchi. A figure skater, Yamaguchi was almost flawless during the dance season. She had to beat another athlete for the title though, NFL defensive end Jason Taylor.

In season eight, the athletes came back and reclaimed the Dancing With The Stars title. Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson won the hearts of the fans and defeated Giles Marini. The never say die attitude of an athlete won out.

Other athletes have won the hearts of the fans as well even if they were not able to take home the mirrored trophy. Football legends Jerry Rice and Warren Sapp, each did very well on the show. Sapp showed not only that a big guy can move, but that he is a real softy too.

America’s favorite cowboy, Ty Murray roped in the fans during season eight. Murray, a rodeo star, was suppose to compete against his wife Jewel how got hurt before the season started.

Now that season nine has started, the question asked is if the athletes will take home another Dancing With The Stars championship. There are four champion athletes going for the title this season.

The youngest is 21 year old Louie Vito. Partnered with Chelsie Hightower, Vito will try to make the twists and turns on the dance floor look as perfect as he does on the snow. The two-time winner of USSA Grand Prix Halfpipe Series, Vito is gearing up for the 2010 Winter Olympics where he is expected to compete for gold in snowboarding.

Following in seasons eight champion Johnson’s wake is another Olympic champion Natalie Coughlin. Coughlin is accustomed to winning. In ever single Olympic event she has entered, she has won a medal. Coughlin has 11 Olympic medals, including consecutive 100m backstroke gold medals. She is partnered up with a schoolmate and season one champion, Alec Mazo. Both Coughlin and Mazo attended the University of Califorinia – Berkeley at the same time.

Mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Champion, Chuck Liddell could easily take the mirrored trophy out of the other competitors’ hands. He and partner Anna Trebunskaya will have to be graceful and light on their feet in order for Liddell to add Dancing With The Stars champion to his already impressive resume. Inducted into the UFC’s Hall of Fame earlier this year, Liddell is tied for the most UFC wins with 16 and has the most knockouts with 10.

Professional football is represented again with another Super Bowl Champion, Michael Irvin. Along with his partner Anna Demidova, Irvin will be trying to add championship title along side the three Super Bowls he won with the Dallas Cowboys. The Dancing With The Stars season three champion Smith was a teammate to Irvin. It is not Smith’s accomplishment that is driving Irvin in this competition though. Irvin wants to out dance fellow wide-receiver, Jerry Rice.

Another season nine competitor has an athletic background. Mark Dacascos is better known as the host of Food Network’s Iron Chef America show. Growing up though Dacascos intently studied martial artists and even competed in it.

Regardless of who ends up winning season nine Dancing With The Stars, the fans will have a chance to see a different side to their sports heroes. The athletes will have a chance to stretch themselves in ways they never knew they could. Over the next couple of months we will see if one of these athletes has what it takes to be able to call themselves the champion of Dancing With The Stars.

Written by Denise Clay
Hickory, NC
Exclusive to HULIQ