Göktuğ Ergin, the Turkish national archery team technical director, has set his sights on the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, boldly declaring that his team is one of the top contenders for Olympic medals.
In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Ergin shed light on their plans and goals for the Paris Olympics, dubbing 2024 as the "Olympic year."
Ergin announced that the Turkish archers secured their place in the men's team event for the Olympic Games.
"Mete Gazoz, Ulaş Berkim Tümer and Muhammed Abdullah Yıldırmış, with their world runner-up title, not only brought home the first male team medal for our country but also secured a team spot at the Paris Olympics after a 23-year hiatus," he said.
Due to the European Archery Federation's decision to move up the date of the continental quota event, Ergin explained that they have adjusted their training schedule for the women's recurve archers to ensure they are ready to compete.
With an expanded team, including ten archers, they are preparing for the 2024 Olympic Games.
"With our 2024 national team preparation camp set to take place in Antalya on Oct. 16, we will continue our preparations for the Paris Olympic Games with 16 athletes, comprising 10 women and six men. The entire selection process will be conducted during these training sessions, as well as the national and international competitions that our athletes will participate in before the Olympics. We aim to represent our country at Paris 2024 with the strongest possible squad, competing for medals," he said.
He emphasized that their primary objective is the continental quota competition, scheduled for the first week of May in the German city of Essen.
Ergin also pointed out that they plan to host the last world quota competition in Antalya in June.
They aim to secure individual or team quotas for female archers and strive to compete for at least four to five medals in the Olympics.
With a strong team, including the reigning world champion in the men's individual competition and a silver medalist in the world, they are poised to be one of the top favorites for Olympic medals.
However, Ergin acknowledged that the unpredictable nature of the Olympic Games can bring surprises, making every archer's heart race.
"Even if you shoot from the same distance with the same archers, shooting in front of Olympic targets excites every archer and may lead to different performances. We have planned and executed our preparations meticulously," he said.
During the training camp, the team will begin by conducting performance tests to evaluate the current performance levels of the athletes.
Ergin noted that they will analyze the archers together with their technical staff, including a dietitian, strength and conditioning specialist, and psychologist.
Individual training programs will be tailored to address each athlete's specific needs, and they will have a team of ten technical experts to guide them.
This approach, with a large and specialized team, has proven to be highly beneficial.
The goal is to enhance their success and represent the country in the best possible way at the Paris Olympics.
Ergin concluded by expressing their desire to maximize their performance and fulfill their Olympic dreams.
