ALICA SCHMIDT should be on your radar. The 22-year-old German track and field star, 1.75 meters tall, has been dubbed “the World’s Sexiest Athlete” by a number of supporters and websites, but there’s much more to Schmidt than her voluminous blonde hair and stunning blue eyes. Schmidt will compete on the German team in the women’s 4×400 relay and the Tokyo Olympic Games’ first 4×400 mixed relay. Track and field of the Olympics begins competition Friday. Schmidt has been running competitively for years. She finished second in the 2017 European Athletics Under-20 Championship in the 4×400 relay, where she took home silver. In 2019, Schmidt won bronze at the U-23 Europeans. She’s also reportedly competed in hurdles and as a jumper. In May, Schmidt expressed how grateful she was to be running outdoors again after suffering a “torn ligament and some muscular problems,” she explained in an Instagram post. But Schmidt doesn’t need success at the Greatest Show on Earth to be a global star. Her stunning looks have seen her attract 1.8 million followers on Instagram, thanks in part to a series of sexy snaps showcasing her glam life off the track. And she attracted a whole new army of soccer fans after putting Borussia Dortmund through their paces after being hired as their fitness coach. However, as much as she’s happy to pose for the cameras, she drew the line when Playboy asked her to appear nude. Being blessed with beauty hasn’t stopped her focusing on being an athlete, and she certainly doesn’t define herself by her Insta-fame. She once said: “The focus is on sport — clearly. “Social media tends to run alongside. If I don’t have time, I don’t post a picture.” And it’s paid off as Schmidt has achieved success on the track. In 2017, she was part of the German team that finished second in the 4x400m relay event at the 2017 European Athletics U20 Championships in Grosetto, Italy. Two years later, she won bronze in the same discipline and competition in Gavle, Sweden. Crowned the “World’s Sexiest Athlete,” Schmidt is uncomfortable with that moniker. “I do not know why I got this title. Sport clearly comes first,” she once said. On Instagram she has become the poster girl for her sport, as well as a model for Puma. The sports giant is said to pay Schmidt a huge amount to pose in its latest sportswear. Many other health and fitness companies have approached her to promote their products. And with 1.8 million followers, she has a large audience to influence. Back in September last year, Schmidt sent social media wild when she turned up as Borussia Dortmund’s fitness coach. She was invited to the club’s training complex where she gave the stars a workout of her own. There, she performed a series of lunges and stretches alongside Thomas Meunier, Felix Passlack as well as Swiss international Manuel Akanji. Schmidt also gave Mats Hummels a 400m race where she left the center-back for dead. Out of breath and sprawled across the floor, Hummels said: “I really underestimated that.” Inevitably, being a sex symbol has meant that Schmidt is flooded with offers for photoshoots. Playboy magazine approached her when her career was taking off to ask if she would be interested in posing nude. Reports said Schmidt gave it some thought, with a lucrative deal on the table. But ultimately she decided that it wouldn’t have been beneficial for her career. You can bet if Schmidt brings a medal back to Germany she will cement herself as a national treasure. The Olympian works with German food brands including Frosta and Food Spring, an organic sports nutrition company. She enjoys eating healthy and cooking when her busy schedule allows. “My family always says that food is my favorite topic,” Schmidt said in a past Instagram post discussing her eating habits. She’s also a fan of sushi and surfing. Schmidt, who’s a travel fanatic, has also worked with hospitality, beauty and fashion brands. Schmidt was born in Worms, Germany in 1998, where her parents supplied a warm environment and a normal childhood. Before she rose to social media fame, she adopted a love for running at a young age. During a past family vacation, Schmidt caught the attention of Thomas Kremer, a professional sprinting coach, who suggested her parents sign her up for track. Schmidt began competing in races at age 7. In order to take her skills to the next level, she knew she had to relocate to train with the best, in environments that would challenge her. Schmidt moved to Potsdam after high school to train with Brandenburg Athletics Association. After a year with the organization, Schmidt had her sights set on making the German national team, and made the move to Berlin to train with the SCC Sports Club. It paid off. In 2017, Schmidt got her first big break. She was selected to be put on the 2017 German National Team. This meant she was representing her country in the 4×400 relay race at the 2017 European Athletics Under-20 Championships. This was a huge boost in Schmidt’s exposure as she and her teammates brought home the silver medal. This was the first time she became a track sensation, had competed on an international level and gained international fame. In 2017, the New York Post published an article on Schmidt, foreshadowing her path to the Olympics. Since then, her competition experience and media recognition have grown exponentially. She was getting lots of attention beyond just her athletic skills. Newspapers and magazines across the world had taken an interest in this tall, blonde track star from Germany. In 2017, Busted Coverage dubbed her the “World’s Hottest Track Athlete.” Since then the media coverage and fans grew not necessarily because of her sporting abilities but because she is an object of traditional beauty. Beyond the unexpected media attention, Schmidt continued to focus on the sport, participating in different competitions and expanding her capabilities. While racing in a variety of 200-, 400-, and 800-meter races, Schmidt found that her skill in hurdling was also exceptional and decided to compete in her first hurdling race. She then built up more experience in sporting championships and began to win more competitions. In 2018, she participated in the German hurdling championship, running the 400-meter hurdle and coming in 5th place. She was only one inch away from beating her personal best. And while she was happy with 5th place, Schmidt strives for perfection and stays committed to always improving her performance. By 2019, Schmidt gained national recognition again as she was selected for the German track and field team in the 2019 European Athletics U23 Championships. (SD-Agencies) | 