21.07.2019
More than 2,400 swimmers from 59 countries competed in the Turkish Olympic Committee’s (TOC) 31st Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race in Istanbul. Ms. Ilgın Şimşek and Mr. Melikşah Düğen became the winners.
31st Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race began in Kanlıca, on the Asian side of Istanbul, and ended in Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park on the European side.
Exactly half of this year’s quota was made up of international swimmers and other half for locals.
The unique 6.5km course is the only official competitive swimming race to cross between two continents.
Winners are from Turkey!
This year’s event was also attended by thousands of enthusiastic sports fans who cheered on from the Samsung fan zone in Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park. Ms. Ilgın Şimşek and Mr. Melikşah Düğen became the winners.
Dominican swimmer Marcos Diaz, who swam across five continents in 2009, was this year’s guest of honour.
On completing the race, the fastest swimmers were awarded plaques, medals.
Minister of Youth and Sports Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu, İstanbul Deputy Governor İsmail Gültekin, İstanbul Municipality Secretary General Yavuz Erkut, China Sports Minister Gou Zhongwen, Ambassador of Moldova Igor Bolboceanu, Council General of South Korea Jessy Yeunju Jang, International Olympics Committee (IOC) Vice President and Turkish Olympic Committee (TOC) President Prof. Dr. Uğur Erdener, Samsung Electronics Turkey President DaeHyun Kim and Samsung Electronics Turkey CFO Seokhoon Ahn, were amongst those attending the event.
The winners:
Women
Names: Time: Country:
1- Ilgın Çelik 47:19 Turkey
2- Hilal Zeynep Saraç 47:26 Turkey
3- Şira Nur Eroğlu 50:09 Turkey
Men
Names: Time: Country:
1- Melikşah Düğen 48:28 Turkey
2- Efe Erduran 48: 32 Turkey
3- Artur Artamonov 48: 53 Ukraine