Turkish ski jumper Fatih Arda İpcioğlu, who has etched his name in national sports history with groundbreaking international results, is aiming for a final jump at the 25th Winter Olympic Games after securing and maintaining crucial World Cup quota points.
The 25-year-old made history by finishing ninth at the European Games in Poland, marking the best-ever result for Türkiye in the sport.
He followed that with a third-place podium finish at the Ski Jumping Summer Grand Prix in Romania with a 92-meter leap.
Domestically celebrated as the “Flying Turk,” İpcioğlu continued his record-breaking form on Dec. 14 at the fourth stage of the Ski Jumping World Cup in Germany, soaring 134.5 meters to collect 250 points, setting a new benchmark for Türkiye in World Cup competition.
With the Winter Olympics scheduled Feb. 6-22 across Milan and Cortina, Italy, İpcioğlu is preparing intensively for the chance to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.
İpcioğlu, who represented Türkiye alone in ski jumping at both the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, may be joined by fellow national athlete Muhammed Ali Bedir in Italy.
Bedir must maintain his position in the Olympic quota rankings across 15-plus World Cup events in 12 countries before January to secure his spot.
If both athletes qualify, Türkiye will enter the Olympics’ newly introduced team event for the first time.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), İpcioğlu highlighted the significance of the past two years in earning Olympic quotas:
“Last season, I scored points that marked the best World Cup results for both Türkiye and my career. Ali Bedir also earned points in the Summer Grand Prix. Right now, we’re maintaining our spots on the quota list for the 2026 Olympics.”
He emphasized that Olympic success hinges on individual quotas rather than national representation:
“Having achieved this twice before, we’re moving forward with the right steps. The season ahead is crucial, with major competitions running through January. We’re competing in top-level World Cups to maintain our ranking and ensure we’re ready for the Olympics.”
Looking ahead, İpcioğlu is focused on the new pair event at the Olympics.
“Our goal is high because this is the first time the team event is part of the Olympic program. Ali and I hope to represent Türkiye in history-making fashion. Having competed twice before, I know the Olympics are unpredictable – anything can happen. Our preparation aims at performing final jumps on both ramps.”
Training abroad due to Türkiye's lack of a dedicated ski jumping facility, İpcioğlu highlighted the unique challenges Turkish athletes face:
“We’ve proven that Turkish ski jumpers can compete at the highest level. Training overseas is tough, but success comes through overcoming challenges. We understand the responsibility of representing the Turkish flag and are giving everything we have.”
