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Quick Facts
Biography
Turkish women have an active participation in many sports branches and have several important trophies, especially in athletics, weightlifting, combat sports, volleyball and basketball.
Participation in Olympics
Pioneers
The first Turkish women to take part in the Olympic Games were Halet Çambel and Suat Fetgeri Aşani who participated at the fencing competitions of the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.
Medals
Olympics | Name | Event | Rank |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | Hülya Şenyurt | Weightlifting 48 kg | 03 !![]() |
2000 | Hamide Bıçkın | Taekwondo 57 kg | 03 !![]() |
2004 | Nurcan Taylan | Weightlifting 48 kg | 01 !![]() |
2008 | Elvan Abeylegesse | Athletics 5000 m. | 02 !![]() |
Elvan Abeylegesse | Athletics 10000 m. | 02 !![]() | |
Azize Tanrıkulu | Taekvondo 57 kg | 02 !![]() | |
Sibel Özkan | Weightlifting 48 kg | 02 !![]() | |
2012 | Gamze Bulut | Athletics 1500 m. | 01 !![]() |
Nur Tatar | Taekwondo 67 kg. | 02 !![]() | |
2016 | Nur Tatar | Taekwondo 67 kg. | 03 !![]() |
Archery
- Yasemin Ecem Anagöz
Athletics
National record-holders
World Athletics Championship
Year | Name | Event | Rank |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | Süreyya Ayhan | 1500 m. | 02 !![]() |
2007 | Elvan Abeylegesse | 10000 m. | 02 !![]() |
2009 | Karin Melis Mey | Long jump | 03 !![]() |
European Athletics Championship
Year | Name | Event | Rank |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Süreyya Ayhan | 1500 m. | 01 !![]() |
2006 | Elvan Abeylegesse | 5000 m. | 03 !![]() |
2010 | Elvan Abeylegesse | 5000 m. | 01 !![]() |
Elvan Abeylegesse | 10000 m. | 01 !![]() | |
Nevin Yanıt | 100 m. hurdles | 01 !![]() | |
2012 | Aslı Çakır Alptekin | 1500 m. | 01 !![]() |
Gamze Bulut | 1500 m. | 02 !![]() | |
Nevin Yanıt | 100 m. hurdles | 01 !![]() | |
Gülcan Mıngır | 3000 m. steeplechase | 01 !![]() |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Mondial_Ping_-Women%27s_Singles_-_Quarterfinal_-_Melek_Hu-Liu_Shiwen_-_26_%28cropped%29.jpg/170px-Mondial_Ping_-Women%27s_Singles_-_Quarterfinal_-_Melek_Hu-Liu_Shiwen_-_26_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Athletics in Mediterranean Games
Year | Name | Event | Rank |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | Serap Aksu | 400 m. hurdles | 02 !![]() |
1991 | Aysel Taş | Javelin | 03 !![]() |
1997 | Serap Aktaş | Marathon | 01 !![]() |
Lale Öztürk | Marathon | 03 !![]() | |
2001 | Nora Güner | 100 m. | 01 !![]() |
Nora Güner | 200 m. | 01 !![]() | |
Süreyya Ayhan | 1500 m. | 02 !![]() | |
Ebru Kavaklıoğlu | 1500 m. | 03 !![]() | |
Ebru Kavaklıoğlu | 5000 m. | 01 !![]() | |
Elvan Abeylegesse | 10000 m. | 03 !![]() | |
Mehtap Sızmaz | Marathon | 01 !![]() | |
Serap Aktaş | Marathon | 02 !![]() | |
Anzhela Atroshchenko | Heptathlon | 01 !![]() | |
2005 | Binnaz Uslu | 800 m. | 03 !![]() |
Anzhela Atroshchenko | Heptathlon | 03 !![]() | |
Turkish team | 4 × 400 m. | 03 !![]() | |
2009 | Nevin Yanıt | 100 m. hurdles | 01 !![]() |
Elvan Abeylegesse | 10000 m. | 01 !![]() | |
Burcu Ayhan | high jump | 02 !![]() | |
Karin Melis Mey | long jump | 02 !![]() |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Elvan_Abeylegesse_2010_European_Team_Championships.jpg/170px-Elvan_Abeylegesse_2010_European_Team_Championships.jpg)
Basketball
The Turkish Women's National Basketball Team, also known as "Periler" (The Fairies) by the Turkish fans, is No 13 in FIBA World Rankings.
Year | City | Rank |
---|---|---|
2013 | Vannes, France | 03 !![]() |
Year | City | Rank |
---|---|---|
1987 | Latakia, Syria | 02 !![]() |
2005 | Almeria, Spain | 01 !![]() |
- Nevriye Yılmaz (born 1980), retired national team player
- Özlem Yalman (born 1977), FIBA-listed referee since 2011.
- Funda Teoman (born 1984), referee
Cycling
- Esra Kürkçü, Balkan champion
- Semra Yetiş, Balkan champion
Boxing
- Nurcan Çarkçı, European champion
- Sümeyra Kaya, European champion
- Hülya Şahin, world and European champion
- Gülsüm Tatar, world and European champion
- Şemsi Yaralı, world and European champion
- Serpil Yassıkaya, European champion
Fencing
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Irem_Karamete.jpg/170px-Irem_Karamete.jpg)
- Suat Aşani (born 22 September 1916, date of death unknown)
- Halet Çambel (1916–2014), 1936 Olympian
- Özden Ezinler (born 1950)
- İrem Karamete (born 1993)
Football
Women's football in Turkey began with the establishment of the all-women's club Dostlukspor in Istanbul in early 1970s. Turkey women's national football team was established in 1995.
- Merve Aladağ (born 1993)
- Sevgi Çınar (born 1994)
- Bilgin Defterli (born 1980)
- Sibel Duman (born 1990)
- Eylül Elgalp (born 1991)
- Esra Erol (born 1985)
- Melahat Eryurt (born 1975)
- Leyla Güngör (born 1993)
- Başak İçinözbebek (born 1994)
- Lale Orta (born 1960)
- Hatice Bahar Özgüvenç (born 1984)
- Zeliha Şimşek (born 1981)
- Ebru Topçu (born 1996)
- Yağmur Uraz (born 1990)
- Cansu Yağ (born 1990)
- Aylin Yaren (born 1989)
- Özlem Araç (born 1989)
- Necla Güngör (born 1981)
- Leman Bozacıoğlu
- İpek Emiroğlu (born 1992)
- Mürvet Yavuztürk (born 1985)
- Hilal Tuba Tosun Ayer (born 1970)
- Dilan Deniz Gökçek (born 1976)
- Kadriye Gökçek
- Dilek Koçbay (born 1982)
- Sibel Kolçak (born 1990)
- Neslihan Muratdağı (born 1988)
- Lale Orta (born 1960)
- Melis Özçiğdem (born 1982)
- Fatma Özlem Tursun (born 1988)
- Yeliz Topaloğlu (born 1978)
Freediving
- Derya Can Göçen (born 1979), world record holder
- Yasemin Dalkılıç (born 1979), world record holder
- Şahika Ercümen (born 1985), world record holder
- Birgül Erken (born 1972)
Handball
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/20141206_1930_TURAUT_6885.jpg/170px-20141206_1930_TURAUT_6885.jpg)
The Turkish Women's Handball League was established in 1978.
Year | City | Rank |
---|---|---|
2009 Mediterranean Games | Pescara, Italy | 02 !![]() |
Ice hockey
Turkish national women's ice hockey team was established in 2006.
Judo
Year | Event | Name | Rank |
---|---|---|---|
1997 Mediterranean Games, Bari, Italy | 48 kg. | Gülnigar Gülsaran | 03 !![]() |
61 kg. | Neşe Yazıcı | 03 !![]() | |
66 kg. | Gamze Sakızlıgil | 03 !![]() | |
72 kg. | Zarife Yıldırım | 03 !![]() | |
2001 Mediterranean Games, Tunis, Tunisia | 48 kg. | Neşe Şensoy | 01 !![]() |
2005 Mediterranean Games, Almeria, Spain | 48 kg. | Neşe Şensoy | 03 !![]() |
52 kg. | Aynur Samat | 02 !![]() | |
78 kg. | Seda Karadağ | 03 !![]() | |
78+ kg. | Belkıs Zehra Kaya | 01 !![]() | |
2009 Mediterranean Games, Pescara, Italy | 48 kg. | Derya Cibir | 03 !![]() |
78+ kg. | Gülşah Kocatürk | 03 !![]() |
Modern pentathlon
- İlke Özyüksel (born 1997), first ever Turkish Olympian
Swimming
Name | Competition | Host | Event | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Melis Akarsu | 2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 200m butterfly | 03 !![]() |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 400m ind medley | 02 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 200 m free relay | 01 !![]() | |
Gizem Bozkurt | 2013 Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 4 × 100 m free relay | 03 !![]() |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 100 m free | 02 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 200m ind medley | 01 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 100 m free relay | 01 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 200 m free relay | 01 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 100 m medley relay | 03 !![]() | |
Ceren Dilek | 2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 100 m free relay | 01 !![]() |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 100 m medley relay | 03 !![]() | |
Burcu Dolunay | 2013 Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 50m free | 03 !![]() |
2013 Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 4 × 100 m free relay | 03 !![]() | |
Dilara Buse Gunaydin | 2013 Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 50m breast | 02 !![]() |
2013 Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 100m breast | 03 !![]() | |
Esra Kübra Kaçmaz | 2013 Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 4 × 100 m free relay | 03 !![]() |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 50m butterfly | 02 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 200m back | 01 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 100m butterfly | 02 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 200 m free relay | 01 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 100 m free relay | 01 !![]() | |
Ayşe Ezgi Yazıcı | 2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 50m butterfly | 03 !![]() |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 100m butterfly | 03 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 100 m medley relay | 03 !![]() | |
Halime Zülal Zeren | 2013 Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 200m back | 03 !![]() |
2013 Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 4 × 100 m free relay | 03 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 200m free | 01 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 50m back | 01 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 200m back | 01 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 100 m free relay | 01 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 200 m free relay | 01 !![]() | |
2013 Islamic Solidarity Games | Palembang, Indonesia | 4 × 100 m medley relay | 03 !![]() |
Taekwondo
- Dürdane Altunel
- Furkan Asena Aydın, world and European champion
- Arzu Ceylan, European champion
- Nuray Deliktaş, European champion
- Ayşegül Ergin, 1992 Olympian
- Yeliz Fındık, European champion
- Sibel Güler, 2008 Olympian, European champion
- Nafia Kuş, European champion
- Zeynep Murat, European champion
- Burcu Sallakoğlu
- Kadriye Selimoğlu, world champion
- Arzu Tan, world champion
- Azize Tanrıkulu, 2008 Olympian, European champion
- Ayşenur Taşbakan, European champion
- Nur Tatar, 2012 Olympian, European champion
- Hamide Bıkçın Tosun, 2000 Olympian, world champion
- İrem Yaman, world champion
- Hatice Kübra Yangın, European champion
- Tennur Yerlisu, world and European champion
- Gülnur Yerlisu, European champion
- Rukiye Yıldırım, European champion
Tennis
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Ipek_Soylu_%28TUR%29.jpg/170px-Ipek_Soylu_%28TUR%29.jpg)
Some notable Turkish female tennis players include:
- Başak Eraydın
- Çağla Büyükakçay, Olympian tennis player
- İpek Soylu
- İpek Şenoğlu
- Melis Sezer
- Pemra Özgen
Volleyball
National teams
The Turkish Women's National Team, is also known as "Filenin Sultanları" (Sultans of the Net) won gold medal at the European Games in 2015, beating Poland 3–0 at the final.
Year | City | Rank |
---|---|---|
1975 Mediterranean Games | Algiers, Algeria | 03 !![]() |
1987 Mediterranean Games | Latakia, Syria | 02 !![]() |
1991 Mediterranean Games | Athens, Greece | 02 !![]() |
1993 Mediterranean Games | Languedoc-Roussillon, France | 03 !![]() |
1997 Mediterranean Games | Bari, Italy | 02 !![]() |
2001 Mediterranean Games | Tunis, Tunisia | 02 !![]() |
2005 Mediterranean Games | Almeria, Spain | 01 !![]() |
2009 Mediterranean Games | Pescara, Italy | 02 !![]() |
2013 Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 02 !![]() |
Club teams
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Vakifbank_Istanbul_%288427656320%29.jpg/170px-Vakifbank_Istanbul_%288427656320%29.jpg)
Fenerbahçe won the 2011–12 CEV Women's Champions League. Vakıfbank is the winner of the 2013 Club World Championship and the 2012–13 CEV Champions League. Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor won the 2014–15 CEV Women's Challenge Cup.
Water polo
National team players:
- Reyhan Acar
- Dilara Buralı
- Melek Cavlak
- Asli Duman
- Damla Deniz Düz
- Yagmur Arzu Elma
- Yonca Sevval Erdem
- Melda Fatma Idrisoglu
- Karya Kose
- Kübra Kuş
- Fatma Eser Özaydın
- Pelin Ozdemir
- Aylin Soylemez
Weightlifting
- Emine Bilgin, European champion
- Ayşegül Çoban, European champion
- Aylin Daşdelen, European champion
- Sibel Özkan, European champion
- Şule Şahbaz, European champion
- Sibel Şimşek, European champion
- Nurcan Taylan, Olympic, world and European champion
Wrestling
- Yasemin Adar (born 1991), first-ever European champion
Paralympic sports
- Handan Biroğlu (born 1981), para-archer
- Burcu Dağ (born 1981), world champion para-archer
- Gizem Girişmen (born 1981), Paralymic champion archer
- Gülbin Su (born 1971), Paralympian archer
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Sumeyye_Ozcan_-_2013_IPC_Athletics_World_Championships.jpg/170px-Sumeyye_Ozcan_-_2013_IPC_Athletics_World_Championships.jpg)
- Hamide Kurt (born 1993), Paralympian sprinter
- Sümeyye Özcan (born 1992), Paralympian middle distance runner
- Zübeyde Süpürgeci (born 1993), Paralympian sprinter
- Sevda Altınoluk (born 1994), Paralympic gold medalist goalball player
- Buket Atalay (born 1990), Paralympic gold medalist goalball player
- Gülşah Düzgün (born 1995), Paralympic gold medalist goalball player
- Neşe Mercan (born 1994), Paralympic gold medalist goalball player
- Sümeyye Özcan (born 1992), Paralympic gold medalist goalball player
- Seda Yıldız (born 1998), Paralympic gold medalist goalball player
- Nazan Akın (born 1983), Paralympic medalist judoka
- Duygu Çete (born 1989), Paralympic medalist judoka
- Mesme Taşbağ (born 1981), European champion, Paralympic medalist judoka
- Ecem Taşın (born 1991), Paralympic medalist judoka
- Özlem Becerikli (born 1980), Paralympic medalist powerlifter
- Çiğdem Dede (born 1980), Paralympic medalist powerlifter
- Nazmiye Muslu (born 1979), Paralympic and world champion powerlifter
- Çağla Baş (born 1992), wheelchair basketball player and Paralympic shooter
- Aysel Özgan (born 1978), sport shooter
- Ayşegül Pehlivanlar (born 1979), sport shooter
- Ümran Ertiş (born 1996), Paralympic medalist, European champion table tennis player
- Neslihan Kavas (born 1987), Paralympic medalist, European champion table tennis player
- Kübra Öçsoy (born 1994), Paralympic medalist, European champion table tennis player
- Büşra Ün (born 1994), first Paralympic competitor