Two budding Irish soccer stars face a unique fitness test today ahead of Ireland's opening match at the World Student Games in Beijing.
Alan Weldon and Liam Fleming, both 20, will be put through their paces by former Dublin Gaelic footballer, Brian Mullins, at the 21st Universiade Athletes' Village. But there won't be a ball or a pitch in sight.
Alan, a first-year student of government and public policy at University College Cork, and Liam, a student at the University of Ulster in Jordanstown, failed a number of their papers in the summer examinations.
Rather than miss the chance of representing the "Boys in Green" in China, the students have managed to make special arrangements so they can sit their repeats in the Chinese capital.
Overseeing this unusual nonsporting event will be the director of sport at UCD, and assistant chef de mission of the Irish student team, Brian Mullins, and the manager of the Irish student soccer team, Prof Tom Stark, of Coleraine University.
"The exam papers will be faxed from Ireland to Beijing at around the time the resits will be taking place in Ireland. It is great the lads have had this opportunity," Mr Mullins told The Irish Times last night.
Alan, who is on the UCC soccer team, said there was no contest when it came to coming to China for the match.
"If the college had not agreed to let me do the resits here, I would have come anyway, even if it meant repeating the whole year," he said last night. He has two papers to sit today in law and public and private management.
Unlike the other members of the Irish contingent who have been savouring the atmosphere in Beijing since their arrival on Friday, Liam and Alan have both been busily swotting between training sessions.
"It is tough going," said Alan, from Blarney in Co Cork. "But it will be worth it, I hope. The college has been great to allow this happen."
In total, 45 student athletes will represent Ireland in Beijing during the 21st Universiade in soccer, swimming, judo and track and field events.
The Chinese are using the games as a dress rehearsal for the hosting of the Olympics in 2008.
The Irish soccer team face Iran in their opening game in Beijing tomorrow.