Samsun will have a strong presence at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with four local athletes securing their spots.
Fatma Damla Altın, Esra Bayrak and Reyhan Taşdelen will compete in the long jump, while Eda Yıldırım will represent Türkiye in the shot put.
The athletes are gearing up for the Games, scheduled from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8, with rigorous training sessions six days a week at İlkadım Athletics Track.
Aytunç Göz, National Teams Manager of the Turkish Special Athletes Sports Federation, shared that the team will depart for Paris on August 25.
Reflecting on past efforts, Göz said, "Esra Bayrak narrowly missed a medal at Tokyo 2020, finishing fourth. Our goal now is to turn that near-miss into a medal. With her supportive teammates by her side, we aim to bring medals home to Türkiye and Samsun, which has the highest participation of special athletes in the country."
Highlighting the historical significance, Göz added, "Türkiye has never won a medal in women’s para athletics across visual, physical, and special categories. This is a chance to make history. We are fully prepared and familiar with the challenges ahead. Our athletes are undergoing both physical and psychological training to handle the pressures and potential setbacks."
Göz expressed optimism about the athletes' readiness and concluded, "With all our efforts, we hope to achieve our goals."
Eda Yıldırım, one of the national athletes in shot put, confidently stated, "We plan to return from the Games with four medals."
