Türkiye achieves remarkable success at Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
Turkish Paralympic team heads to Paris 2024 with a record-breaking 93 athletes, including 48 women and 45 men, Istanbul, Türkiye, August 25, 2024. (AA Photo)
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games have brought significant achievements for Türkiye, with national athletes performing strongly in several disciplines.
As of Sept. 4, Türkiye has earned 12 medals, including 3 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze.
Let’s look into the highlights of Türkiye at the Games, including key performances in athletics and para taekwondo.
However, one unfortunate development has arisen with Serkan Yildrim’s gold medal being revoked after a legal dispute.
Turkish para-athlete Aysel Onder breaks record, wins silver in 400 meters
Aysel Onder set a world and Paralympic record during the qualification rounds of the 400 meters T20 classification with a time of 54.96 seconds.
In the final at Stade de France, Onder finished in 55.23 seconds, securing the silver medal. The gold went to Yulia Shuliar of Ukraine, who finished in 55.16 seconds, while India’s Deepthi Jeevan Ji claimed bronze.
After the race, Onder celebrated her success with a victory lap, holding the Turkish flag. With this result, Türkiye’s total medal count rose to 12.
Turkish athlete Nurcihan Ekinci defeated in Para Taekwondo quarterfinals
Nurcihan Ekinci advanced to the quarterfinals after an impressive 19-0 victory over Aruna Aruna from India in the round of 16 in the K44 47kg category. However, she was defeated by Thailand’s Khwansuda Phuangkitcha in the quarterfinals with a final score of 8-4 on Aug.29.
Meryem Betul Cavdar wins bronze in Para Taekwondo in Paris 2024
Meryem Betul Cavdar secured Türkiye’s first taekwondo medal at the Games by winning bronze in the K44 52kg category. She faced Mexico’s Jessica Garcia Quijano in the bronze medal match and emerged victorious with a 6-3 win.
This marks Cavdar’s second Paralympic medal, following her silver win in Tokyo 2020.
Turkish para-athlete Ali Can Ozcan wins silver in Para Taekwondo
Ali Can Ozcan claimed a silver medal in the men’s K44 58kg para taekwondo event. He reached the final but was narrowly defeated by Israel’s Asaf Yasur with a score of 19-12, securing a silver medal for Türkiye.
Serkan Yildirim’s gold medal revoked after legal dispute
Serkan Yildirim initially won the gold medal in the men’s 100m T12 event with a time of 10.70 seconds. However, following an appeal by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), a higher court ruled that Yildirim was not eligible to compete because of a classification issue. As a result, his 100m gold medal was revoked, and he was also removed from the 400m event list.
In a statement, the Türkiye’s national Paralympics committee (TMPK) said:
“The IPC took the case to a higher court, which ruled that Serkan Yildirim was ‘ineligible to compete.’ As part of the legal process, his 100-meter medal was also taken back. We will continue to stand by our athlete and use all legal means to restore the medal he won on the track.”
TMPK also emphasized that they will support Yildirim through the ongoing legal battle to regain his medal.
Performances of key Turkish para-athletes at Paris 2024 Games
| Athlete | Event | Result | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aysel Onder | Women’s 400m T20 | 55.23 | Silver |
| Nurcihan Ekinci | Women’s K44 47kg (Taekwondo) | Quarterfinals | – |
| Meryem Betul Cavdar | Women’s K44 52kg (Taekwondo) | Third Place | Bronze |
| Ali Can Ozcan | Men’s K44 58kg (Taekwondo) | Second Place | Silver |
| Serkan Yildirim | Men’s 100m T12 | Disqualified | – |
Türkiye’s Paralympic medal tally at glance for 2024
| Medal Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Gold | 2 |
| Silver | 6 |
| Bronze | 3 |
| Total | 11 |
While the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games continue, Türkiye’s athletes remain strong contenders in several events. Fans and supporters eagerly await the remaining competitions, hoping for more medal-winning performances from the national team.
