Turkish gymnasts aim for more success in 2020

IZMIR, Turkey

Turkish national gymnasts Ahmet Onder, Ibrahim Colak, Ferhat Arican and Nazli Savranbasi target bagging more medals in 2020.

Successes of the Turkish gymnasts in recent years have peaked at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in October last year, and one of the athletes made history.

Ibrahim Colak, 24, marked his success by becoming the first Turkish athlete to win gold medal at the tournament.

He captured the top spot on the medal podium by winning the men's ring with 14,933 points, 0.033 point ahead of Italy's Marco Lodadio at the tournament in Stuttgart, Germany.

At the same competition, Ahmet Onder won silver medal by securing 14,983 points in the parallel bars final.

In addition to Colak and Onder, Savranbasi and Arican have also earned places for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

- Turkish athletes set goals for 2020

The four Turkish athletes spoke to Anadolu Agency about their goals in 2020.

Onder said they need to work hard for the Olympics.

"I am sure we will bag medals at the 2020 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships before the Olympic Games. If we become successful at this tournament, we will be very ambitious for the Olympic Games. I aim to represent my country in the best way and will try to do my best," he said.

Colak believes that earning a place in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games was already a success for him, and he also aims to represent Turkey in the best way possible.

"Olympic Games will be more difficult. My opponents will be almost the same I had in Tokyo. Holding a world championships title is a very nice feeling."

Arican said he reached the most of his targets in 2019, but that this year will be more challenging for him.

"I will be at the peak of my career in 2020. The Olympic Games is the most important competition for us. I want to get a medal in the next Olympic Games that I missed in 2016," he added.

Savranbasi reminded she has earned olympic quota places with her good performance at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships.

"We work hard to prepare for the Olympic Games. My goal is to reach the finals. I hope everything will be good," she added.

* Writing by Muhammed Enes Calli