One personality that really couldn't go unnoticed at Genova 2011 is the junior European champion Elif Yilmaz, from Turkey. She's got everything she needs: cold blood, incredible high kicks, and the proud killer look you could expect from a warrior princess. What you couldn't expect, though, is how Elif's vibrant personality is constantly drawing attention even when she's not busy on the tatami. The first time I saw her was on the stands, during her father's competition. Elif was standing in front of the first row of seats in order to take photos. When some people kindly asked her to get out of their sights, she put on one of the scariest faces I've ever seen, thus silencing her unwanted interlocutors. A few moments later, when the first score appeared on the screens, she ran away crying with joy, without even waiting for her father's final exercise, which would actually crown Mustafa Yilmaz European Master 1 champion. The next day, she had just secured her gold medal with a flawless performance when I met her again on the stands, having a conversation with a couple of guys from another national team. <<Really? Am I first?>>. She was dominating the competition and she didn't even know!! Apart from her glorious smile on the podium, the last memory of her I retain is Elif having a souvenir T-shirt signed by all her foreign athlete friends... while she was wearing it. Irresistible Elif.
Se possibile linkerei il nome del Sig. Golovic a qualche sua attività/account su Flickr/Deviantart/Facebook, in modo da ricambiare il suo contributo in maniera più fattiva. Bella ragazza e belle foto.
ReplyDelete-Emalord-
Yeah yeah, Mr Golović is a fantastic photographer and contributor. As you suggest, I'd be happy to link his name to whatever site/gallery/profile he would be pleased to promote. That's why he was offered this before I even posted the first of his amazing photos. Apparently, though, he doesn't care, and looks quite happy only to have his pics combined with by my short articles :)
ReplyDeletehello ... I am Elif Yılmaz from turkey ... i saw your blog today .. and i am honored .. thank you so much for your beautiful and kind words to me ... i try to do my best everytime like my father ... again again and again thank you so much .. i feel so shy , really .
ReplyDeleteHi Elif, you're a rockstar!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you appreciate my job. Currently the blog is on standby, but I plan to pick it up again very soon.