Kovalchuk the Czar of All Russian Athletes

The viewers of Russian sports network Sportsbox, and visitors to its website, have voted Ilya Kovalchuk the best Russian athlete of 2008. He beat out luminaries like Maria Sharapova, Dinara Safina, and Elena Isinbaeva, plus his colleague Alexander Ovechkin and, most amazingly, geeky-hot, poetry-writing chess Grand Mistress Alexandra Kosteniuk.

Did I mention I mention he beat Maria Sharapova? Because if I didn't, and even if I did, I'm going to use this as a cheap excuse to look at a picture of Maria Sharapova.


Ilya Kovalchuk is more beloved than this woman. Hm.

As he should be, really, since he won his country the Gold Medal at the World Championship. So, hooray!