Turkish Athletics Federation President Fatih Çintimar has unveiled a bold vision to empower young athletes in adult competitions, paving the way for unprecedented triumphs on the global stage.
In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Çintimar highlighted the dynamic nature of athletics as a metric and chronometric discipline, emphasizing that Türkiye's position in the world rankings must evolve continuously.
Çintimar acknowledged the pivotal role young athletes play in shaping these rankings, saying "As a unified force, we soared to sixth place out of 210 nations in the recently concluded World Junior Championships, amassing an impressive collection of two gold, two silver, and one bronze medals. Outperforming all other teams, our nearest rival, Germany, languished in the 16th spot. This resounding achievement firmly establishes our standing among the world's youth and bolsters our position in the European medal rankings."
Buoyed by this success, Çintimar remains unwavering in his belief that Türkiye's ascent is far from complete.
"Although we currently hold the sixth position in the European medal rankings, the future remains tantalizingly uncertain. Will we soar higher or, perhaps, descend slightly? Glancing at our immense potential, particularly among our youth, our trajectory is bound for greater heights. The crux lies in elevating our promising young talents to the realm of adult competition. To realize this feat, we must work tirelessly, offering unwavering support to our children, technically and administratively. Such efforts will ensure a meteoric rise to the pinnacle of athletics," he said.
Looking ahead to the upcoming Olympic Games, Çintimar outlined his grand vision to bolster Türkiye's position in the global rankings.
While expounding on Türkiye's recent triumphs, Çintimar took pride in highlighting the awe-inspiring achievements of national athlete Mehmet Çelik at the World Athletics Race in France.
"Mehmet Çelik epitomizes unparalleled talent. Overcoming a severe injury, he embarked on a transformative journey, honing his skills through language training in the United States following treatment in Türkiye. His extraordinary performances caught the attention of astute managers after a series of five consecutive races. Now, he graces international competitions under the guidance of these managers. Mehmet Çelik shattered the 45-year-old Turkish record in the 800 meters previously held by Sermet Timurlenk, missing it by a fraction of a second on multiple occasions. His triumph is a testament to the enduring significance of record-breaking in athletics. As we forge ahead, we shall continue to witness the birth of new records," he said.
Highlighting the importance of international training for Turkish athletes, Çintimar said: "Our athletes must now seek education and language training not only within our borders but also abroad. They serve as ambassadors for our nation on the global stage, and the greater their knowledge and skills, the stronger their representation.
"Our foreign athletes bring a unique perspective to our teams. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, we have successfully recruited foreign coaches, augmenting our coaching staff to harness the wealth of expertise available. Presently, our athletes are training at the Izmir High-Performance Center under the tutelage of these exceptional foreign coaches. Our unwavering commitment to their development shall persist," he concluded.