Muhammet Kürşat Soytürk, a 16-year-old with Down syndrome hailing from Trabzon, has set his sights on the pinnacle of achievement in national and international judo tournaments, a sport he has ardently pursued for nearly eight years.
Muhammet Kürşat, the eldest among three children of the Soytürk family, has been inclined toward various sports activities since the age of 6.
Under the supervision of his family, he has explored several sports, including swimming, athletics and archery.
When his brother started training in judo, Muhammet Kürşat Soytürk joined in, and with the aid of coach Bayram Çelik, he eventually became a member of the Akçaabat Municipality Sports Club.
Despite being the only athlete with Down syndrome among 350 athletes in the club, Soytürk remains dedicated and trains five days a week.
He has set himself the ambitious goal of representing Türkiye in international competitions and winning in both national and international organizations.
After discovering his son was diagnosed with Down syndrome, his father, Fahri Soytürk, made sure to encourage him to participate in various sports and social activities.
Fahri Soytürk revealed that they were advised to encourage Kürşat's social life, as it could lead to greater fulfillment.
Taking this advice to heart, they met with coach Bayram and enrolled him in judo training, allowing him to train professionally in the sport.
Even though Muhammet Kürşat is the only athlete with Down syndrome on the team, his friends treat him as an equal and do not make him feel different.
His father expressed that Muhammet Kürşat's success brings joy not only to him but to the whole family.
Muhammet Kürşat's impressive accomplishments in judo have brought tremendous joy to his team.
His father advises other families, stating that children with Down syndrome should not be isolated from social life, and instead be supported by guiding them according to their interests.
He further highlighted the government's remarkable support in this regard.
