Turkish Para Athletes Achieve Historic Victories at Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
Paris, The Gulf Observer: Turkish para athletes have secured a historic performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, matching the country’s previous record of three gold medals set at Rio 2016 and positioning themselves for a record-breaking success.
On Sunday, Serkan Yildirim made history by winning Türkiye’s first-ever gold in Para Athletics. Yildirim clinched the gold in the men’s T12 100m final, finishing with a time of 10.70 seconds, narrowly beating American competitor Noah Malone by just 0.01 seconds. The 33-year-old athlete, who transitioned from mainstream athletics to para-athletics due to deteriorating eyesight, continues his remarkable career following his dominant performance at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships in Japan.
Adding to Türkiye’s triumph, para archer Oznur Cure Girdi became a Paralympic Games Champion after defeating Iran’s Fatemeh Hemmati 144-141 in the women’s compound bow final. At just 26 years old, Cure Girdi’s victory marks a significant moment for Turkish para archery, coming 16 years after Gizem Girismen won Türkiye’s first gold medal in the sport at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics.
In Para Taekwondo, Mahmut Bozteke also made history by winning the men’s K44 63kg gold medal on Saturday, overcoming Mongolia’s Bolor-Erdene Ganbat with a score of 9-7. The 27-year-old Bozteke, who began practicing taekwondo in 2013, has quickly risen to prominence, already holding four European championship golds.
Türkiye’s success at Paris 2024 extends beyond gold medals. Para athlete Muhammet Khalvandi secured a silver medal in the men’s F57 javelin throw final with a throw of 49.97 meters. Khalvandi, an Iranian-born Turkish athlete, has had a storied career, including setting a World Record at the 2012 Paralympics.
In Women’s Para Shooting, Aysel Ozgan earned a silver medal in the P2 10m air pistol SH1 event with 231 points, narrowly missing out on the gold to Iran’s Sareh Javanmardi. Ozgan, a veteran in para shooting, adds this silver to her impressive collection of international medals.
As the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games approach their closing ceremony on September 8, Türkiye stands on the brink of its best Paralympic Games performance ever. With the potential to surpass the previous record of three gold medals, the country is participating in these Games with a record 94 athletes, marking a significant milestone in its Paralympic history.
