Olympian, model and actress: The spectacular life and career of Leryn Franco

Leryn Franco may not be a name many are familiar with, but if you were an avid Olympic fan during the 2000s, you will have surely watched her compete. The Paraguayan competed at three Olympic games, but is probably best known for her work off the track as a model.

Franco was born in Asunción, Paraguay in 1982 and grew up playing sports. Initially, she focused on football (soccer) before switching her attention to the javelin.

Her talent was obvious from an early age, breaking national records in both javelin and triple jump in 1998, per the Olympics website.

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So prestigious was her talent, she was part of Paraguay’s South American Junior Championship team, winning the javelin event in 2001.

2004 saw Franco compete in the South American under 23 competition, where she also took home the gold medal.

2004 saw Franco make the Paraguay Olympic team, competing in the javelin. Her South American dominance didn’t transfer to the highest level of competition, finishing 42nd out of 45 competitors in Athens, per the Olympics archive.

Perhaps as a way to move past her Olympic disappointment, Franco entered the 2006 Miss Paraguay contest, where she finished second.

Franco’s pageant exploits continued in the same year, with the Olympian entering Miss Bikini Universe.

2008 saw Franco qualify for another Olympic Games, again competing in the javelin contest. Her time practicing for pageants certainly didn’t help her throwing, as she finished 51st in Beijing.

The Paraguayan made more splashes away from the competitive area in 2011, making an appearance in the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

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2012 saw Franco reach the peak of her powers, breaking a Paraguayan national record in the javelin, throwing 57.77 at the 2012 Ibero-American Championships in Athletics.

2012 saw Franco’s final Olympic appearance. Once again competing in the javelin, Franco went down swinging, finishing an Olympic personal best of 34th, per the Olympics archive.

Following the end of her competitive sporting days, Franco moved into the world of acting, featuring in the movie Eliza Lynch, per Cineuropa.

Franco played the younger version of the titular character, with the film shooting in Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, France, England and Ireland. Franco’s performance was well regarded, with Film Ireland writing she, “beautifully captures the spirit of a young Eliza Lynch”.

Franco has attracted a huge online following, gaining 428,000 followers on Instagram, where she shares images of her life and brand deals.

The athlete-turned-model-turned-actress has struck brand deals with some huge companies, including makeup brand Schwarzkopf and car manufacturer Volkswagen.

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