This was published 12 years ago
Naked ambition: Hubertus von Hohenlohe
He is competing at his sixth Winter Olympics, has never won a medal, is unlikely to win one at Sochi, yet will arguably generate more headlines than any other competitor - meet the Games' most interesting athlete, Mexican-born German Prince Hubertus von Hohenlohe.
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Often referred to as "Methuselah" and "Bird of Paradise" in Europe, von Hohenlohe is a descendant of royalty in what is now Germany, is a pop star who has performed under the names Andy Himalaya and Royal Disaster and also an accomplished photographer. He was the sole athlete in the Mexican team at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
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He made global headlines in Canada for his bandido-style ski suit that featured an ammunition belt and guns.
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Despite speculation that he would retire ahead of the 2010 Games, he said he continued to participate because "exotic skiers" (those from countries without a tradition in winter sports) were disappearing and that he wanted to keep that tradition alive.
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He was never rated a chance at Vancouver and matched those expectations, finishing 78th in the Men's Giant Slalom and 46th in the Men's Slalom.
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After his Giant Slalom run, he famously hugged Ghana's so-called 'Snow Leopard' Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, who became the first person from Ghana to take part in the Winter Olympics.
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The underdogs were praised for 'having a go' and symbolising the Olymic spirit.
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Von Hohenlohe's life has truly been extraordinary.
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He is one of two sons of Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Ira of Fürstenberg.
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He was schooled in Austria, where his love affair with skiing began.
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