Lolo Jones: Hurdler's Starpower Will Grow Regardless of Olympic Showing

No matter how she fares in her events at the 2012 Summer Olympics, track star Lolo Jones will continue to grow as a public icon for her sport.

The Olympics allow athletes to make a name for themselves by their performances and by how they handle themselves in their free time. Jones has made headlines for various reasons to this point, and her performances will be overshadowed by her fame.

Athletes these days are constantly being watched, and they are scrutinized even more during the Olympics.

Every Olympics needs a few stars to grab headlines. Through the first week, Jones has been one of the most talked about athletes in London.

USWNT goalie Hope Solo is in a similar category as Jones. Both use Twitter to get their voices heard, and it helps that both are attractive women. 

Once Jones is done competing this month, she will continue to be a star on and off the track.

Twitter 

Technology is still growing, and it is giving athletes more power than ever before. A great showing on the track will only increase Jones' exposure.

Currently, she has over 222,000 followers on Twitter. While other athletes have more followers, she has enough followers to make headlines with any tweet.

Last week, Jones sent out a controversial tweet that was blown out of proportion.

"

USA Men's Archery lost the gold medal to Italy but that's ok, we are Americans... When's da Gun shooting competition?

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"— Lolo Jones (@lolojones) July 28, 2012"

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"

For anybody who did not know her before the tweet, they know of her now. It did not go over well with everyone, but it showed how powerful Twitter can be.

Her account can keep her in the spotlight after this month and allow her to grow as a public figure. With a strong showing on the track, she will increase the number of people who follow her. Of course, her goal is to win gold, not increase her followers.

Another tweet Jones sent also went viral, but it was seen in a different light. Her Tyson Chandler photo was seen as a humorous side of the Americans, and it got her name out in the public.

Appearance

The Cincinnati Enquirer is one of many news outlets to list Jones as one of the most attractive athletes competing in the 2012 Olympics.

It can be a very powerful thing and should be used to her advantage. As previously mentioned, Solo's appearance (along with USWNT forward Alex Morgan) has brought attention to her athletic ability. 

Jones doesn't play on a dominant team or have the advantage of playing in the World Cup, but she can be a public figure like Solo.

In 2009, Jones took part in ESPN the Magazine's Body Issue. A stunt like that can help publicity and allows her to pursue a modeling career in her free time.

As an athlete, she wants to be known for her talent. Her physical appearance will gain fans throughout the world and help her attract even more followers on Twitter. 

This is her first big event since the magazine came out, so she can finally show the world what she can do. 

Athletes can become stars for various reasons, and Jones will see her fame grow no matter how she performs in London.