The team of physically challenged weightlifters in Kocaeli, comprising seven outstanding members, is resolute in their quest to sustain their triumphs in Türkiye and Europe, leaving an indelible mark at next year's Paris Olympics.
Şule Şahbaz Tekin and Nurcihan Gönül, who has been coaching at Kağıtspor, a club under the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, for many years, welcomed the physically challenged athletes into the club last year.
In just a year, the athletes have already achieved tremendous success, including a second-place win in Europe and five Turkish championships in the Türkiye Physically Disabled Weightlifting Championship held in Aydın, where they secured seven medals.
Reyhan Polat, Muhammet Kaan Akturk, Serkan Çakmaz, Uğur Yumuk, Faruk Öztürk, Hasan Korkmaz and Tolga Işık all won medals at the tournament, with gold medals going to Polat, Akturk, Çakmaz, Yumuk, and Öztürk, and silver medals to Korkmaz and Işık.
All the athletes who won medals are also part of the national team, with coach Şule Şahbaz Tekin explaining that they constitute most of the national team.
Tekin told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the national team formation was almost done as few individuals would be added to the medal-winning team.
She also said that the facilities and opportunities provided in Kocaeli are on par with those offered by the national team.
Tekin credited their success to the unwavering support of their municipality.
She also pointed out the high potential of the athletes, saying that three of them are already in the Olympic (Paralympic) quota.
"With the triumphs that we have achieved, we want two more of our athletes to receive a quota. We promise to win the most medals in the Olympics for ourselves and our country," she added.
National weightlifter Faruk Öztürk, who has won the world championship, second place in Europe, and eight Turkish championships in his career, expressed his admiration for the interest shown in sports and people with disabilities during the national team camp in Antalya.
"We want to achieve greater success as a team. The World Championship is ahead of us, and then there are the Olympics. We are working with all our strength to represent our city and country," Öztürk said.
