After a record-breaking 2025 that delivered nine international medals, Turkish weightlifter Yusuf Fehmi Genç is rebuilding his body, his numbers and his belief for a golden run at the 2026 European Championships.
Yusuf Fehmi Genç did more than win medals in 2025 – he carved his name deeper into Turkish weightlifting history.
The national lifter from Ordu closed the year with nine medals from major international events, six of them gold, and emerged as one of Türkiye’s most reliable performers across senior, U-23 and multi-sport competitions.
Now, back in the Ünye district where his journey took shape, Genç is already immersed in a new phase: preparing for European gold in 2026 under a new weight category.
Genç’s sporting roots trace back to middle school, when he first entered competition through wrestling.
A recommendation from his physical education teacher redirected that raw strength toward weightlifting, a decision that would define the next decade of his life.
Nearly 10 years on, Genç owns national titles, European crowns and world-level podium finishes, built on steady progression rather than sudden leaps.
The peak of his 2025 campaign arrived at the European Championships, where Genç dominated the 71-kilogram category and broke a championship record on his way to gold.
The achievement carried rare historical weight.
With international weight classes set to be revised, the record will never be challenged again.
For Genç, that permanence mattered. He described it as joining a unique chapter once occupied by legends Naim Süleymanoğlu and Halil Mutlu, whose records were similarly “buried” after category changes reshaped the sport.
Momentum carried him into the World Championships, where Genç aimed for a second senior world title.
A minor setback on the platform cost him the top step, but he still fought through to claim bronze – another confirmation of his ability to compete under pressure.
Rather than dwell on the result, Genç used it as fuel.
That response showed quickly.
At the European U-23 Championships, he returned to the top of the podium, securing gold and reaffirming his status as the standard-bearer of his generation.
The season’s final act came in Riyadh at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games, where Genç delivered one of his most complete performances.
Lifting 190 kilograms in the clean and jerk and totaling 336 kilograms, he secured two gold medals and capped a year defined by consistency and control.
“2025 was a very good year for me,” Genç said, speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) while training in Ünye. “I won nine medals, most of them gold. Hearing the Turkish national anthem in different countries is something that never loses its meaning.”
The road ahead, however, brings change.
Genç is preparing to move up to the 75-kilogram class for the 2026 European Championships in Batumi, Georgia.
The shift demands more than added mass – it requires recalibrating technique, timing and recovery while preserving the speed that defined his success at 71 kg.
Training has already intensified, with an emphasis on long-term durability as much as peak lifts.
