&host=www.rt.com&uri=/sport/football/footballer-turns-olympic-skater/&via=1.1 8.254.9.147:80 (Footprint 4.8/FPMCP)&ua=CCBot/1.0 (+http://www.commoncrawl.org/bot.html))
Retired football player turned skater bids for 2014 Olympics
Published: 24 September, 2010, 14:14
Edited: 24 September, 2010, 18:18
TAGS: Sport, Olympics, Figure Skating, Football
Ilhan Mansiz – a star striker who once led Turkey to a Bronze Medal in the World Cup in 2002 – has changed his football boots for ice skates. Now, he is hoping for success at Sochi 2014.
His football career being at an end, Mansiz appeared on Turkey's version of Stars on Ice two years ago. He was 33 and had never skated before.
By the time he was announced the winner, he had found a new career, and a new love.
His partner, Oli Bestandigova, competed for Slovakia in the 2002 Olympics. But when her skating federation stopped providing funding, she had to retire, aged only 27.
Now Ilhan and Oli have moved to remote Obsertdorf in the Alps, where the German team trains, as the couple works out four hours every day.
They know they face an uphill task.
A crazy dream or a true testament to the Olympic spirit, the dedication of the couple makes one hope to see Ilhan and Oli at Sochi 2014.
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