Sporting Venus: Alexandra Worisch

This splendid photograph by Tony Duffy has been much imitated since he took it during the European Swimming Championships in Split, Yugoslavia, in 1981.

5'5" Alexandra was competing in the synchronised solo event and finished in silver medal position behind Britain's Carolyn Wilson. At this point Great Britain did well at synchronised swimming but, typically, once it became an Olympic event (like Ice Dancing) we immediately became useless at it.

Alexandra was only fifteen at the time of the photo and went on to compete for Austria in the first Olympic synchronised swimming event at the Los Angeles games where she came tenth in both the solo and duet events.

A very animated Venus rising from the waves! She now works as a physiotherapist for the Austrian Institute for medical and sports scientific advice.

Alexandra today