Turkish swimmers left behind in the pool

LONDON - Hürriyet Daily News

Derya Büyükuncu. AFP Photo

Three Turkish swimmers competed in the Olympic Games in London yesterday, with all three failing to make it past their heats. Young swimmers Burcu Dolunay and Buse Günaydın, along with Turkey’s record-breaking Olympian Derya Büyükuncu, competed in yesterday’s swimming heats, but were all eliminated.

Büyükuncu, who became the first-ever swimmer to compete in his sixth Olympics, completed his 200-meter backstroke heat in first place with 2.01.68, but he placed 33rd of 35 overall to be left out of the semifinals. Büyükuncu has competed at every summer Olympics since his first appearance at the 1992 Barcelona Games. U.S. swimmers Tyler Clay and Ryan Lochte took the first two spots in the event, while Zheng Fenglin of China placed third overall.

Burcu Dolunay also finished her women’s 100-meter freestyle qualification heats in first place, with a time of 55.35 seconds, but she was barely left out of the 16 semifinalists, placing 22nd out of 50 swimmers.

Competing in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke qualifying heats, Buse Günaydın placed 30th out of 34 with 2.30.64, and was left out of the semifinals.