Leryn Franco

Leryn Dahiana Franco Steneri (born 1 March 1982 in Asunción) is a Paraguayan model and athlete. She specializes in the javelin throw and became an Internet sensation during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Her personal best throw is 57.77 metres, achieved in June 2012 in Barquisimeto. She is perhaps more famous for her beauty and modeling than athletic ability and has appeared, most notably, in the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Raised in the capital of Asunción, she broke the national records for the under-17 age group in 1998 for both the javelin and triple jump. After winning bronze medals in 1999 and 2000, Franco won the South American Junior Championship javelin title in 2001. Franco was the South American under-23 champion in 2004. Her performances at the world level are 24th at the 2003 World Championship and 42nd out of 45 at the Athens Olympics. Although she set a personal best in 2007, she finished 12th (last) at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro. In 2008, she competed in the Beijing Olympics.