Footballer turns figure-skater

Turkish football player Ilhan Mansiz has found a new passion ~ figure skating! At age 34, he dreams to compete for Turkey at the 2014 Winter Olympics with his now girlfriend Olga Bestandigova.

In 2008, at age 32, German-born Mansiz took to the ice for the first time in his life -- as part of a Turkish television show in which celebrities are paired up with professional ice-skaters for a competition lasting several weeks.

Partnered with Olga Bestandigova, a Slovak figure skater who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics, Mansiz won the show.

Mansiz said Bestandigova -- now his girlfriend -- dreamt of taking part in another Olympic Games but did not have a partner.

Mansiz has said in several interviews that his dream is to qualify and compete for Turkey at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. It was unclear on how his Slovak partner would qualify for the Turkish Olympic team.

The pair are currently training in the southern German town of Oberstdorf, near where Mansiz was born.

 ~ as reported by Reuters