Türkiye aims to capitalize on rich history in pursuit of Paris glory

As Türkiye gears up for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the nation reflects on its storied Olympic history, boasting an impressive tally of 104 medals.

With 102 athletes set to compete across 18 disciplines, Türkiye aims to add more accolades to its legacy.

Türkiye's Olympic odyssey began in 1908 when gymnast Aleko Mulos became the first official representative of the then-Ottoman Empire at the London Games.

Over the years, Turkish athletes have excelled, securing a total of 41 gold, 27 silver and 36 bronze medals across nine sports.

Wrestling stands as Türkiye's dominant discipline, contributing 66 medals.

Weightlifting follows with 11, while taekwondo, boxing and karate also shine. Athletics, judo, archery and gymnastics round out Türkiye's medal-winning sports.

Memorable milestones

1960 Rome Olympics: This event marked Türkiye's most successful games in terms of gold medals, with seven golds and two silvers won by a team of 55 athletes.

2020 Tokyo Olympics: Türkiye achieved its highest overall medal count, securing 13 medals (two gold, two silver, nine bronze) with a contingent of 108 athletes.

Notably, karate made its Olympic debut, contributing four medals to Türkiye's tally.

Road to Paris

This summer, 102 Turkish athletes will compete in Paris, striving for glory from Friday, July 26 to Aug. 11.

Despite the slightly reduced delegation compared to recent games (114 in London 2012, 103 in Rio 2016 and 108 in Tokyo 2020), the team is brimming with talent and potential.

For the second consecutive Olympics, Turkish women outnumber men in the squad, with 54 female and 48 male athletes.

The Women's National Volleyball Team, having made headlines with their remarkable performances, will compete for the third time in Olympic history, aiming to surpass their past achievements in London 2012 and Tokyo 2020.

Headliners

Shooting:

• İsmail Keleş (10-meter air pistol): Gold medalist at the 2023 European Games.
• Yusuf Dikeç (10-meter air pistol): Ranked third in the ISSF Olympic Ranking.
• Şimal Yılmaz (10-meter air pistol): Silver medalist at the European Championships.

Athletics:

• Kaan Kigen Özbilen (marathon): Achieved a time of 2:05:37 at the 2023 Barcelona Marathon.
• Tuğba Danışmaz (triple jump): Competed in the European Championships with a leap of 14.57 meters.

Boxing:

• Buse Naz Çakıroğlu (50 kg.): Gold medalist at the 2023 European Games.
• Busenaz Sürmeneli (66 kg.): Gold medalist at the 2023 European Games.

Gymnastics:

• Ferhat Arıcan, Adem Asil, Ahmet Önder, İbrahim Çolak, and Emre Dodanlı: Competed as a team at the 2023 World Championships.

Wrestling:

• Taha Akgül (freestyle 125 kg.): Bronze medalist at the 2023 World Championships.
• Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (women's 68 kg.): Gold medalist at the 2023 World Championships.

Judo:

• Tuğçe Beder (-48 kg.): Ranked 15th in the IJF Olympic Ranking.
• Mihael Zgank (-90 kg.): Ranked 6th in the IJF Olympic Ranking.

Archery:

• Mete Gazoz (men's team): Silver medalist at the 2023 World Championships.

Modern Pentathlon:

• İlke Özyüksel Mihrioğlu (women's individual): Ranked fourth in the UIPM Olympic Ranking.

Swimming:

• Kuzey Tunçelli (800-meter, 1,500-meter freestyle): Notable performances at the 2023 European and World Junior Championships.

Volleyball:

The Sultans of the Net will be on the lookout to grab gold as they have been on a hot streak during the qualifiers.

With Melisa Vargas grabbing all the headlines, they are poised to fly high and come back from Paris adorned in gold.

Participation and medal history

Here is a snapshot of Türkiye's participation and medal achievements in past Olympic Games: