Carmelita Jeter: American Sprinter Is an Olympic Highlight of ESPN Body Issue

Carmelita Jeter is one of many Olympians featured in this year's ESPN The Magazine Body Issue. She's not related to Derek, and she's not famous because she shares the same last name.

She's famous because she could be the U.S.'s best chance at winning a gold medal in track and field this summer in London. That's what happens when you earn the title of the world's fastest woman; you have to live up to it by bringing in some hardware. 

Where the eyes of America may have been focused on Lolo Jones at the last Olympics, they're now focused on her younger counterpart, who missed the 2008 Games after failing to make it past the trials.

But there's nothing like making up for that loss by running the 100-meter at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final in 10.67 seconds and running it in 10.64 seconds at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in the same year to become the second-fastest woman in history. 

At 32, Jeter is obviously older than she was when she set those records, but she's no less qualified to put on a show at the Olympics. Look at what she did at this year's trials, winning the 100-meter outright to earn a berth to London. At 32, she did what she couldn't do four years ago, so betting against her isn't too smart.

As a part of the most recent Body Issue, which hits the newsstands on Friday and is meant to celebrate the athletic form, she joins a host of her fellow Olympic athletes who are quite obviously at their physical peaks. Jeter is one of two women in history who have managed to run the 100-meter in under 10.7 seconds—and not only has she done it, but she did it twice in 2009.

Though she performed well at the trials and though she knows what kind of performance she's capable of, Jeter isn't guaranteeing a record-shattering performance in London. Like any athlete, she knows it's silly to expect a spectacular outing every time she hits the track.

In June, she told ESPN.com's Luke Cyphers:

"

Like any sport, you have your good days and your bad days—Kobe doesn't go for 40 every game. The question is, "What do you do the next time?" I hope that I'm an example to high schoolers and college kids. Hey, it happens. Some kids might have a bad race and feel like it's over for them, but it's not. Go back to practice! 

"

Jeter doesn't have to worry about being a role model; it's hard not to be when you're the fastest woman in the world. And there's no doubt the U.S. will be behind her in full force when she takes to the track in London next month.