Lolo Jones, Randy Couture and Michael Waltrip to Star on 'DWTS' Season 19

Dancing with the Stars announced the celebrities for its 19th season on Thursday. As usual, there was a heavy athlete presence with Olympian Lolo Jones, former UFC champion Randy Couture and longtime NASCAR star Michael Waltrip in the cast.   

Ann Oldenburg of USA Today confirmed the entire group of participants along with the professional dancers who will serve as their teammates. Jones will team with Keo Motsepe, Couture is paired with Karina Smirnoff and Waltrip will chase the Mirror Ball Trophy with Emma Slater.

Jones confirmed her appearance and admitted she probably shouldn't be viewed as the early favorite with plenty of work to do:

Based on the picture she posted to Instagram, it looks like the practice sessions are already underway:

Of course, she could be hiding her true potential on the dance floor. The dual Olympian, who's competed in the hurdles at the Summer Games and the bobsled in the Winter Games, certainly has the athleticism to rapidly improve in the weeks ahead.

Those who've made a similar transition in the past enjoyed success. Since the first Olympian took part in Season 4—eventual champion Apolo Anton Ohno—a total of four Olympic athletes have won the title:

Olympian	Season	Result
Apolo Anton Ohno	4th	1st
Floyd Mayweather	5th	9th
Kristi Yamaguchi	6th	1st
Monica Seles	6th	11th
Maurice Green	7th	5th
Misty May-Treanor	7th	10th
Shawn Johnson	8th	1st
Natalie Coughlin	9th	10th
Evan Lysacek	10th	2nd
"Sugar" Ray Leonard	12th	9th
Hope Solo	13th	4th
Martina Navratilova	14th	12th
Charlie White	18th	5th
Amy Purdy	18th	2nd
Meryl Davis	18th	1st

So it sounds like Jones may start slow, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see her become a contender as long as she's able to avoid early elimination.

The show will also allow MMA fans to see a softer side of Couture. He's since moved on to some acting in usually tough-guy roles. Now the focus will be on his finesse rather than the power that made him a star in the first place.

As for Waltrip, it's tough to know what to expect. The two-time Daytona 500 winner should bring some personality to the program, as he shows during his stints with NASCAR on Fox, but his dancing ability is very much a mystery.

All told, if an athlete is going to win this season, the track record suggests it would be Jones. But who knows, maybe Couture or Waltrip are prepared to surprise.