Highjumper Ukhov rises above drunken antics

At a sports arena in the north of Moscow, a group of hooded monks in long brown robes bang on drums whilst jumping up and down.

The animated abbots are joined by a troupe of dancing girls with large fluffy pompoms and smiles as broad as the Volga River.

It looks like the kind of late night entertainment laid on at a seedy night club. But this is the opening ceremony of a Russian Athletics Competition. And one of the athletes here is almost as colourful as the floor show.

When he's introduced to the crowd, the spectators cheer the fuzzy-haired and very tall high jumper Ivan Ukhov.

Ivan is the current world indoor champion. What really made him famous, though, wasn't sport - it was spirit.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympic_games/world_olympic_dreams/9462491.stm