18.10.2018
After 12 days of competitions at the Youth Olympic Games, Team Turkey will be leaving Buenos Aires on a high note with 11 medals.
Athletes took home 4 medals in weightlifting, 3 in athletics, 2 in wrestling, 1 in judo and 1 in karate. Congratulations!
Highlights for Team Turkey during the Games included our first ever medals in athletics and karate at a Youth Olympic Games.
On day three, weightlifter Muhammed Furkan Ozbek took Turkey’s first gold medal at the Games, lifting 135kg in snatch, 170kg in clean and jerk and 305kg in total.
Team Turkey’s beach handball team entered the consolation round after their victory game against China on day four, later to face American Samoa’s and Russia.
On day five, Runner Ömer Amaçtan smashed his own personal best in the men’s 3000m with a time of 8:26,39 which advanced him to the final stage two.
Mehmet Celik ran his way to 1st place in the men’s 800m stage one heat one, with an amazing time of 1:50.83 on day six, where he also progressed to the last heat in stage two.
History was made on day seven, when Özlem Becerek took Turkey’s first ever medal in athletics in the discus throw, with an impressive 51.96m in the final stage 2 and 103.86 in total! Becerek walked away with a bronze medal. Wrestler Halil Gökdeniz also won bronze on day seven after defeating his Columbian opponent.
Mehmet Celik finally took his well-deserved bronze medal on day eight in athletics, when he finished in his 800m final stage 2 with a great time of 1:50.96.
By day 10, Turkey had already racked up their 10th medal, on the final day of athletics at the Games Münevver Hancı won bronze in her javelin throw final stage 2 competition!
During the final day of Buenos Aires 2018, karateka Enes Bulut made history for Turkey as he took home bronze and our first ever medal in karate from the Youth Olympic Games!
The closing ceremony was a great success, celebrating of over 4,000 athletes who took represented 2016 countries in the Games and 8,000 volunteers who made Buenos Aires 2018 happen.
Athletes took part in 241 events in 32 sports.
After a presentation of highlights were shown at the ceremony, the Olympic flag was transferred to Senegal’s capital Dakar, host of the next Youth Olympic Games in 2022.