The triumphant Turkish athletes, who secured six remarkable medals at the U23 European Athletics Championships in Espoo, Finland, have returned home. Their goal now is to make waves at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Türkiye made history at the European U23 Championship, concluding with an impressive tally of two gold, three silver and one bronze medal.
Accompanied by Fatih Çintimar, president of the Turkish Athletics Federation, the athletes landed at Istanbul Airport late at night, where they were greeted with flowers, radiating excitement and happiness.
Highlighting the rising momentum of Turkish athletics, President Çintimar expressed gratitude, thanking the clubs, community, champions and competing athletes.
"Turkish athletics continues to gain strength, solidifying its position in Europe and the world. The U23 Championship witnessed the remarkable achievement of our young athletes, securing six medals – our highest number in history. Notably, we triumphed in new events and secured medals in previously uncharted territories. We are proud of our athletes and the entire team, which is the result of eight years of dedicated effort in nurturing talent from the grassroots level. We firmly believe they will represent us in the best possible way at the Olympics. As the Athletics Federation confidently strides toward the 2024 Paris Games, our aim is to claim the missing gold medal and elevate Turkish athletics to new heights," he said.
Çintimar discussed the goals of the athletics branch, stating, "We have positioned ourselves for the future. When we analyze the results, we see an athletics community firmly progressing toward its goals. Together, we hope to achieve this objective. Our goal is the gold medal at the Olympics."
Ismail Nezir, the European champion in the 400-meter hurdles category with a time of 49.19, expressed his satisfaction, stating that it had been a fantastic championship for them.
Ali Eren Ünlü, the gold medalist in the high jump category with a jump of 2.22 meters, also echoed the elation, stating, "We are overjoyed. As a team, we have achieved great success and outstanding results. I will continue to work hard to represent Türkiye on the grandest stages of athletics. Next year marks the Olympic Games and I will give my all to conclude this season swiftly, start training early, and qualify for the Olympics."
The athletes, technical committee and federation management gathered for a group photo to commemorate the occasion, celebrating their remarkable accomplishments together.
