50 Turkish athletes book spot at Tokyo Olympics

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

Passersby holding sunshades walk past Olympic rings displayed at Nihonbashi district in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 5, 2019. (REUTERS Photo)

A total of 50 Turkish athletes have so far qualified to represent their country in nine events at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

Many more Turkish athletes in various disciplines are still vying to qualify for the 32nd Summer Olympics, to be held in Japan’s capital from July 24 to Aug. 9.

Turkey’s contingent for the 2016 Rio Olympics had 103 athletes -- 48 women and 55 men -- who competed in 33 events. They won eight medals; one gold, three silver, and four bronze.

Here is a list of the athletes who have secured qualification:

Artistic and rhythmic gymnastics: Nazlı Savranbaşı, Ferhat Arıcan, İbrahim Çolak (hoop), Ahmet Önder (parallel bars).

Shooting: Özgür Varlık (25-meter rapid fire pistol), İsmail Keleş (10-meter air pistol), Yusuf Dikeç (10-meter air pistol).

Athletics: Kaan Kigen Özbilen (marathon), Polat Kemboi Arıkan (marathon), Mert Girmalegesse (marathon), Yasemin Can (5,000 meters and 10,000 meters), Yasmani Copello (400-meter hurdles), Ramil Guliyev (200 meters), Meryem Bekmez (race walking), Salih Korkmaz (race walking), Özkan Baltacı (hammer throw), Eda Tugsuz (javelin throw), and Necati Er (triple jump).

International Cyclist Union (UCI) said on its website in Nov. 2019 that Turkey had quota for two athletes in the cycling branch.

Wrestling: Rıza Kayaalp (Greco-Roman 130 kg), Cenk İldem (Greco-Roman 97 kg), Süleyman Atlı (freestyle 57 kg), Taha Akgül (freestyle 125 kg).

Taekwondo: Rukiye Yıldıırm (women's 49 kg), Nur Tatar (women's 67 kg), Nafia Kus (women's 67 kg).

Volleyball: Turkish women’s national team qualified for Tokyo 2020 -- total 12 players.

Sailing: Ecem Güzel (laser radial), Alican Kaynar (Finn class), Deniz Çınar (470 class), Ates Çınar (470 class), Dilara Uralp (windsurf).

Swimming: Berkay Ömer Öğretist (100-meter breaststroke), Viktoria Zeynep Güneş (200-meter medley), Beril Böcekler (800-meter and 1,500-meter mix), Emre Sakçı (100-meter breaststroke), Merve Tuncel (1,500-meter mix).