Türkiye's women's curling national team is making strides toward qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics after finishing among the top eight teams in the World Women's Curling Championship for the second time.
The team won six out of twelve matches at the championship, which was held in Sandviken, Sweden from March 18-26 featuring 12 countries.
Last year, the Turkish team had only two victories at the same championship but they improved significantly this year, giving hope for the future of the sport in the country.
The women's national teams are currently ranked among the top 10 teams in Europe and the top 13 teams in the world.
They aim to secure a spot at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy by collecting points through being in the top eight in the World Women's Curling Championships in the coming years.
Coach Fatih Ağduman told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the tournament was a success and the team had been diligently preparing for it since July, including participation in exclusive tournaments overseas to gain a competitive edge.
"This is actually a great success. We said before that we aim to be in the top 6 or top 8," he said.
The team's ranking is currently tied with the U.S., which means they still have a chance to qualify for the Olympics.
Team captain Dilşat Yıldız expressed her satisfaction with the team's achievement and emphasized the importance of ranking in world championships to qualify for the Olympics.
"It is a challenge for us to be in the top 8 this year. It was the beginning. We actually share the 7th place with the U.S.," she said.
Yıldız added the team is determined to do better in the coming years and aims to achieve a degree in the world and in Europe.
