Türkiye’s rise in curling has been swift but decisive, and the national women’s curling team’s fifth-place finish at the World Championship is proof of a decade-long effort paying off.
Kenan Şebin, president of the Turkish Curling Federation since its founding in 2016, says the result is more than a ranking. It’s the culmination of building the federation from scratch, raising awareness, developing facilities, and pushing athletes onto the global stage.
The team, Dilşat Yıldız, Öznur Polat, Iclal Karaman, Berfin Şengül, and Melisa Cömert, secured Türkiye’s best-ever finish at a World Championship.
Şebin points out that this achievement comes on the back of other milestones: European third place in men’s B-division, third in junior girls’ worlds, and now both men and women competing directly in world championships across categories, including mixed doubles.
In a sport practiced in 67 countries, Türkiye’s rapid rise to the elite level is rare.
The achievement comes with a bittersweet note. Türkiye missed the chance to secure a spot at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics after a crucial match, leaving the team and coaches disappointed.
Şebin noted that under the two-year point system, a win would have earned direct Olympic qualification, but the setback also fueled determination.
He cites three key drivers behind the fifth-place finish: the missed Olympic quota, a “we can do this” mindset, and sending athletes to international tournaments for experience.
Expanding the sport nationally has been equally vital. “Floor curling”, a version played without ice, has become a major tool in schools, rapidly increasing participation.
Within four years, curling ranks among the top 10 sports for licensed school athletes.
This grassroots growth has boosted awareness and engagement, with social media showing global interest in Turkish athletes’ performances. The team’s recent fifth-place result reached 180,000 people in a week, signaling the sport’s growing footprint in Türkiye.
Looking ahead, Şebin emphasizes facilities as a cornerstone of development. “We need more sports venues than prisons, hospitals, and courthouses combined,” he said, highlighting ongoing projects in Sivas and Ankara, including a six-lane Olympic-standard curling hall. The goal is to broaden the athlete base and accelerate future successes.
Şebin, seeking another term as federation president, stresses long-term vision. “Successful sports branches operate on decades-long plans,” he said. “Curling is not a four-year process. Young athletes need time to develop, and most start late because this sport can be played from 7 to 70. Strategy must be 40 years, not four.”
