Turkey given athletics, swimming boost on road to Olympic Games

ISTANBUL

Derya Büyükuncu is set to make sports history, becoming the first swimmer to make six Olympic appearances

There were two key additions to Turkey’s Olympic squad, with veteran swimmer Derya Büyükuncu and women’s 4x400 relay team winning berths in London Games.

Derya Büyükuncu is set to make sports history, becoming the first swimmer to make six Olympic appearances after being granted a qualification for this year’s Games.

The 36-year-old announced on July 2 that he had been given a green light from FINA, world swimming’s governing body, to participate in his sixth Olympic Games, in London.

He has participated in every Games since 1992 Barcelona. He will swim in the 200 meter backstroke.
“I was sent an Olympic invitation on my birthday,” Büyükuncu wrote on his official Twitter account. “God is great. Turkey made history!”

Büyükuncu is the fifth swimmer from Turkey to win qualification after Ediz Yıldırımer (men’s 1500-meter freestyle), Hazal Sarıkaya (women’s 100-meter backstroke), Buse Günaydın (women’s 100-meter breaststroke) and Burcu Dolunay (women’s 50-meter freestyle).

With Büyükuncu and women’s relay team added, Turkey’s Olympic squad now consists 113 athletes, with 66 female and 47 male.