National short track speed skater Furkan Akar is setting his sights on another milestone this season, targeting medals on the seven-stop World Tour after becoming one of Türkiye’s leading performers on the European and world stages.
Akar, who won bronze in the 500 meters at last season’s World Short Track Speed Skating Championships and in the 1,000 meters at the 2023 European Championships, is looking to add a World Tour medal to his growing collection.
The 23-year-old has stepped up preparations in Erzurum after training alongside national teams from Poland, Germany and the United States in camps at home and abroad. He is using the sessions not only to sharpen his form but also to study some of the skaters he could face during the season.
Training at the Ice Skating Hall in Erzurum’s Palandöken district, Akar is preparing for a season that will include seven World Tour events as well as the European and world championships.
He believes the experience gained from racing and training with some of the sport’s strongest programs can give him an advantage when the competition begins.
“We are more excited than last year and preparing better,” Akar told Anadolu Agency. “We started the season in Erzurum and hosted the Polish national team here for joint training. After that, we had camps with the German and U.S. national teams. We are gaining more and more experience.”
Akar will open his season on the World Tour and has made a podium finish in the series one of his main objectives.
“World Tour is getting closer and there will be seven events this season,” he said. “As in every season, there will also be the world and European championships. After winning medals at the European and world championships, I now want to win a medal in the seven-stage World Tour.”
Akar considers himself particularly strong over the shorter distances but plans to compete aggressively across the program.
“I am confident in the short distances, but I will do my best in the other distances as well,” he said.
His preparation has included intensive joint camps with international teams, giving him an opportunity to observe the habits, strengths and weaknesses of potential rivals away from the pressure of competition.
“For us, training with different countries is experience,” Akar said. “We are constantly working hard to represent our country in the best possible way.”
He said skating alongside international rivals can offer insights that are difficult to gain during competitions.
“By watching their mistakes in training, we can take those things into consideration if they come against us as rivals,” Akar said. “Training together, spending time together and watching their races are very important.”
Akar also believes familiarity can become a tactical advantage if he finds himself battling one of those skaters in a race.
“If we meet them as rivals, the comfort of having skated together in training gives us an advantage,” he said. “These are very important factors.”
Beyond the immediate season, Akar has his sights firmly set on another Olympic appearance. He views the years ahead as a period to test new approaches, build experience and refine the tactical side of his racing.
“Going to the Olympics again is my biggest goal,” he said. “From this season until the Olympics, we will test ourselves. We will try some things and gain experience.”
While physical strength and endurance remain crucial in short track, Akar said tactics can ultimately determine the outcome of a race, making the knowledge gained from joint training camps particularly valuable.
“With racing, it is not only about strength and endurance. Tactics also come into play,” he said. “We will take the mistakes of the athletes into consideration and try to race while keeping those things in mind.”
