In Turkish archery, a new star is on the horizon, and her name is Fatma Maraşlı who hails from the Kayseri Metropolitan Belediyespor Archery Club.
Maraşlı's journey into the world of archery is a tale of talent discovered through a twist of fate.
Raised by a father who is a health officer, she dabbled in various sports disciplines before finding her calling in archery.
Three years ago, Fatma Maraşlı was handpicked to join the Turkish national archery team, and since then, she has been on a meteoric rise.
Her recent feat in the mixed team category at the World Cup held in Shanghai, China, highlights what is to come.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Fatma Maraşlı shared her journey and the invaluable lessons learned from none other than Olympic champion Mete Gazoz.
"Mete and I won the bronze medal in the mixed team in China on May 16, 2023. This was a very good experience for me," she said. "It was my year. I had full faith that something would happen in that competition. It was the third place with my brother Mete. I am very happy to receive my first world-class seniors degree with him."
Maraşlı's success does not end there. She recently secured second place with her team in the Kahraman Bagatır Spring Arrows Tournament, which featured participation from 13 countries hosted by Türkiye.
As she looks to the future, Fatma Maraşlı has her sights set on the European Championships next year.
She reflected on her debut year in the seniors, saying, "If there was a word for me this year, it would be 'Experience.' Mete Gazoz is also a really good archer. Shooting arrows with him, sharing the same podium, and training together are very valuable. I also want to represent our country in the Olympics."
Behind every great athlete stands a dedicated coach, and for Fatma Maraşlı, that mentor is Emre Çömez, the Head Coach of the Kayseri Metropolitan Belediyespor Archery Club.
Çömez recognized Fatma's potential in 2019 and embarked on a rigorous two-year training journey to help her earn a spot in the national team.
Explaining their journey, Coach Çömez said: "When we started training we suffered from material and technical deficiencies. First, we made up for the technical, and then the material deficiencies as a club. We participated in all competitions in this process. Despite Fatma's injury, this year she emerged as a national team player. She was able to re-enter the team."
Çömez applauded Fatma's determination and discipline, stating, "Besides our plans, Fatma's determination and discipline brought success. We try to impart the same knowledge and effort to every athlete. Those who are very willing and put their mind to this work, succeed eventually. Fatma is one of them."
