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The Conversation: Olympians: Dame Kelly Holmes and Aya Medany

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Olympians: Dame Kelly Holmes and Aya Medany

BBC World Service - The Conversation, Olympians: Dame Kelly Holmes and Aya Medany

Two female sports stars on how they achieved their Olympic dreams in the UK and Egypt.

"People underestimate what it takes to be one of the best in the world", a British double Olympic champion shares her experiences with an Egyptian pentathlete.

Kim Chakanetsa brings together two athletes from the UK and Egypt who know what it's like to stand on the start line and have the whole world watching you.

Dame Kelly Holmes became the first British female athlete to win a double gold at a Games when she won the 800m and 1500m in Athens, in 2004.  Her talent was spotted by a PE teacher at school and her Olympic fire was sparked at the age of 14 watching Team GB win in Moscow.  Kelly's fought the physical and mental strains of injury to become the best in the world at her sport and since retirement has tried to support other athletes achieve their dream. 
 
Modern pentathlete Aya Medany made her Olympic debut in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, aged 15.  She was the youngest on the Egyptian team and youngest to ever compete in her event, which is made up of fencing, running, swimming, shooting and horse riding.  Aya also took part in the Beijing 2008 Games and London 2012.  She's now retired but has travelled to Rio with the Egyptian team to stand in the IOC Athletes Commission election and mentor some of the young sports stars who are competing at their first Olympics. 

Image: 
left      Gold medallist Kelly Holmes of Great Britain (credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
right    Aya Medany of Egypt riding Udea at the 2012 London Olympics (credit: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

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