In a new twist for the sixth season of the popular NBC reality series The Apprentice, viewers will choose one of the candidates, from a list of twelve Olympic athletes. Why an Olympic athlete? Perhaps because with the amount of physical and mental fortitude required to rise to the top of a sport, the contender would have no trouble competing against the other candidates, and would not buckle under the pressure of The Donald’s stare.

Maybe this will add a dash of spice to a show that has waned a bit the past few seasons.

NBC Olympics and Mark Burnett Productions have joined forces for this ambitious exercise in corporate synergy. Voters will choose from 2006 US Olympic athletes Allison Baver, Travis Cabral, Casey FitzRandolph, Todd Hays, Chad Hedrick, Danny Kass, Joe Pack, Speedy Peterson, Angela Ruggiero, Katie Uhlaender, Seth Wescott, and Chris Witty. The winner of the online vote will appear as a contestant on season six of the series. Voting begins Friday, February 10 and concludes Sunday, February 26, at NBCOlympics.com.

“One does not reach the Olympic Games without enormous drive, perseverance, ambition, and a willingness to take a risk; [these are] traits required of business leaders,” said Gary Zenkel, President of NBC Olympics, in a statement.

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