Who is more prepared for "Survivor" glory, an Olympic champion or a video game champion?

That's one of the mysteries that will be answered this season on "Survivor: Gabon -- Earth's Last Eden."

CBS announced the cast for the 17th "Survivor" installment on Wednesday (Aug. 27) and among the 18 castaways are Crystal Cox, part of the gold medal-winning 4X400 meter relayed team at the 2004 Olympics, and Ken Hoang, a gamer described as the "current international champion of Nintendo's Super Smash Brothers Melee."

After pitting fans against favorites in its most recent season, "Survivor" is back to a regular civilian cast, though several of this season's contestants describe themselves as lifelong fans and at least one -- 61-year-old retired nurse Gillian -- claims to have applied for "Survivor" 15 times. There's a doctor, a lawyer and a high school teachers, plus the usual students and personal trainers. There's also a down-on-his-luck maintenance man and Jessica Kiper, who's selling herself short as a "pin-up" girl, since "Gilmore Girls" devotees will recognize her from a multi-episode guest run.

There are contestants who plan to use their brains and their bodies to get ahead and there's at least one woman -- 29-year-old Los Angeles resident Corinne -- who is a "self-described bitch."

Sure, we'll miss the opportunity to see Amanda Kimmel mess up another "Survivor" crown at the final Tribal Council, but it's good to have plain old "Survivor" back in its first journey to Africa since Season Three.

"Survivor: Gabon -- Earth's Last Eden," hosted as always by Jeff Probst, will have its two-hour premiere on CBS on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. ET and, for the first time, the series will be broadcast in high definition, if your TV happens to be equipped for such things.

Your 18 new "Survivor" castaways:

Name: Ace Gordon
Age: 27
Hometown: Naples, Florida
Occupation: Fashion photographer

Name: Robert "Bob" Crowley
Age: 58
Hometown: Portland, Maine
Occupation: Physics teacher

Name: Charlie Herschel
Age: 29
Hometown: New York City
Occupation: Lawyer

Name: Corinne Kaplan
Age: 29
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Pharmaceutical sales

Name: Crystal Cox
Age: 29
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Occupation: Former Olympic athlete

Name: Dan Kay
Age: 32
Hometown: Boston
Occupation: Lawyer

Name: Danny "GC" Brown
Age: 26
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Occupation: Maintenance man

Name: Gillian Larson
Age: 61
Hometown: Temecula, California
Occupation: Retired nurse

Name: Jacquie Berg
Age: 25
Hometown: Santa Barbara, California
Occupation: Medical device sales rep

Name: Jessica "Sugar" Kiper
Age: 29
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Occupation: Pin-up model

Name: Kelly Czarnecki
Age: 22
Hometown: Buffalo Grove, Illinois
Occupation: Retail sales

Name: Ken Hoang
Age: 22
Hometown: Westminster, California
Occupation: Professional gamer

Name: Marcus Lehman
Age: 28
Hometown: Atlanta
Occupation: Doctor

Name: Matty Whitmore
Age: 29
Hometown: Pacific Palisades, California
Occupation: Personal trainer

Name: Michelle Chase
Age: 24
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Music producer

Name: Paloma Soto-Castillo
Age: 24
Hometown: Downey, California
Occupation: Student

Name: Randy Bailey
Age: 49
Hometown: Eagle Rock, Missouri
Occupation: Wedding Videographer

Name: Susie Smith
Age: 47
Hometown: Charles City, Iowa
Occupation: Hairdresser