ANKARA
The long-delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, slated for July 23-Aug. 8, will host more than 100 Turkish athletes in 18 branches.
Representing Turkey in the 2020 Summer Olympics that will be held in Tokyo, Japan will be 108 athletes -- the largest-ever Olympic team from the country after 114 athletes in the London 2012 Summer games.
A record 58 male Olympians will compete for their nation, eclipsing 57 in the 1936 Berlin and 1948 London games.
Fifty female athletes are set to strongly represent the country. This will be the second-most female Olympians representing Turkey after the London Olympics in 1966.
The Olympics, which pushed ahead from last year because of the pandemic, will be held from July 23 to Aug. 8, followed by the Paralympic Games from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5.
National women's volleyball team to clash for medal
The Turkish women's national volleyball team will play against China, the US, Argentina, Italy, and Russia in Group B.
The players included in the squad are Naz Aydemir Akyol, Cansu Ozbay, Meryem Boz, Ebrar Karakurt, Meliha Ismailoglu, Hande Baladin, Seyma Ercan, Tugba Senoglu, Eda Erdem Dundar, Zehra Gunes, Kubra Akman, Asli Kalac, Simge Akoz, and Ayca Aykac.
Though 14 players have been invited, Italian coach Giovanni Guidetti will finalize his 12-woman squad.
National athletes
Athletics (25): Emel Dereli (Shot put), Ramil Guliyev (200 meters), Abdulselam Imuk, Ayse Tekdal, Meryem Pekmez, Evin Demir, Sahin Senoduncu, Salih Korkmaz (20 kilometer racewalking), Yasmani Copello Escobar (400 meters hurdles), Yasemin Can (5,000 and 10,000 metre run), Eda Tugsuz (Javelin throw), Meryem Erdogan, Yavuz Agrali, Polat Kemboi Arikan, Kagan Kigen Ozbilen (Marathon), Ersu Sasma (pole vault ), Tugce Sahutoglu, Ozkan Baltaci, Esref Apak (Hammer throw), Necati Er (triple jump), Jak Ali Harvey, Emre Zafer Barnes (100 m, 4×100 m relay race ), Kayhan Ozer, Oguz Uyar, Ertan Ozkan (4 × 100 m relay).
Shooting (4): Yusuf Dikec, Ismail Keles (10 m air pistol), Omer Akgun (10 m air rifle), Ozgur Varlik (25 m rapid fire pistol).
Badminton (1): Neslihan Yigit.
Bicycle (2): Ahmet Orken, Onur Balkan (Road bicycle racing).
Boxing (6): Batuhan Ciftci (52 kg), Buse Naz Cakiroglu (51 kg), Esra Yildiz (60 kg), Busenaz Surmeneli (69 kg), Necati Ekinci (69 kg), Bayram Malkan (81 kg).
Gymnastics (5): Ibrahim Colak, Nazli Savranbasi, Ahmet Onder, Adem Asil, Ferhat Arican (Artistic gymnastics).
Fencing (1): Irem Karamete.
Wrestling (9): Riza Kayaalp (Greco-Roman 130 kg), Cenk Ildem (Greco-Roman 97 kg), Kerem Kamal (Greco-Roman 60 kg), Evin Demirhan (Women's 50 kg), Yasemin Adar (Women's 76 kg), Taha Akgul (Freestyle 125 kg), Suleyman Atli (Freestyle 57 kg), Osman Gocen (Freestyle 86 kg), Suleyman Karadeniz (Freestyle 97 kg).
Weightlifting (2): Muhammed Furkan Ozbek (67 kg), Nuray Levent (64 kg).
Judo (6): Kayra Sayit (+78 kg), Mihrac Akkus (60 kg), Bilal Ciloglu (73 kg), Vedat Albayrak (81 kg), Michael Zgank (90 kg), Gulkader Senturk (48 kg).
Karate (7): Dilara Bozan, Ali Sofuoglu (Kata), Serap Ozcelik Arapoglu (Kumite 55 kg), Meltem Hocaoglu Akyol (Kumite +61 kg), Ugur Aktas (Kumite +75 kg), Merve Coban (Kumite +61 kg), Eray Samdan (Kumite 67 kg).
Rowing (1): Onat Kazakli (Men's single sculls).
Modern pentathlon (1): Ilke Ozyuksel.
Archery (2): Yasemin Ecem Anagoz (women's individual recurve archery), Mete Gazoz ( recurve men’s individual event).
Taekwondo (5): Nafia Kus (+67 kg), Rukiye Yildirim (49 kg), Hatice Kubra Ilgun (57 kg), Nur Tatar (67 kg), Hakan Recber (68 kg).
Sailing (8): Deniz Cinar, Ates Cinar (Men's 470), Alican Kaynar (Finn), Beste Kaynakci, Okyanus Arikan (Women's 470), Ecem Guzel (Laser radial), Dilara Uralp (Windsurfing), Onur Cavit Biriz (Windsurfing).
Swimming (11): Berke Saka (200 m backstrokes), Berkay Omer Ogretir (100 m and 200 m breaststroke), Merve Tuncel (400 m, 800 m, and 1500 m freestyle ), Umit Can Gures (100 m butterfly stroke), Emre Sakci (100 m breaststroke), Deniz Ertan (800 m and 1500 m freestyle), Beril Bocekler (400 m 800 m and 1500 m freestyle), Viktoria Zeynep Gunes (200 m mixed), Defne Tacyildiz (200 m butterfly), Baturalp Unlu (200 m freestyle), Yigit Aslan (800 m freestyle).
* Writing by Emre Asikci
