Occupation
Athlete
Education
Sports Administration - Ege University: Manisa, TUR
Family
Wife Neslihan Aslan
Spoken languages
English, Turkish
Club
Goztepe Spor Kulubu: Izmir, TUR
Coach
Yilmaz Goktekin [national]
Injuries
He underwent surgery on an injury to his left arm in April 2018. (Instagram profile, 04 Apr 2018)
He suffered a shoulder injury in November 2015. (izmirbsbspor.org, 23 Nov 2015)
He broke his collarbone in 2008, which required a metal plate to be inserted. He returned to competition seven months later. (futbolmedya.com, 19 Jun 2017)
Start sporting career
He took up gymnastics at about age nine or 10.
Reason for taking up the sport
His talent for the sport was spotted while he was doing handstands during a physical education class. "I was fortunate that my physical education teacher spotted me in school and encouraged me to give the sport a try, with the full support of my parents."
Milestones
He became the first artistic gymnast representing Turkiye to win a medal at the Olympic Games by claiming bronze on parallel bars at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Sep 2021; gymnastics.sport, 31 Aug 2021)
He became the first male artistic gymnast representing Turkiye to compete at the Olympic Games when he participated at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. (dailysabah.com, 13 Oct 2019; SportsDeskOnline, 20 Sep 2017)
Ambitions
To win gold at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (insidethegames.biz, 08 Jun 2022)
Trainings
He trains twice a day at Murat Canbas Gymnastics Hall in Karacayir, Turkiye.
Most memorable sporting achievement
Competing at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. (Instagram profile, 07 May 2022, 31 Dec 2021)
Philosophy / Motto
"My philosophy is based upon learning and self-improvement. I always derive lessons from my mistakes." (intlgymnast.com, 23 Jul 2020)
Awards
He and boxer Busenaz Surmeneli were flag bearers for Turkiye at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Mediterranean Games in Oran, Algeria. (Instagram profile, 26 Jun 2022; dailysabah.com, 24 Jun 2022)
He was named the 2021 Artistic Gymnast of the Year by European Gymnastics. (europeangymnastics.com, 23 Feb 2022; aa.com.tr, 23 Feb 2022)
Additional information
CONQUERING COVID-19
Three weeks after he tested positive for COVID-19, he won gold on parallel bars at the 2021 European Championships in Basel, Switzerland. "Honestly, after I tested COVID-19 positive, I sank into despair. As there is no room for mistakes in gymnastics, there is also no room for desperation in my mind. I had only a few days for training before the European championships, which was an excellent opportunity to challenge myself. I can sum up all of this process with a single word – dedication." (intlgymnast.com, 29 Apr 2021)
ANTI-PLASTIC CAMPAIGN
He showed his metal water bottle to television cameras after he won gold on parallel bars at the 2021 European Championships in Basel, Switzerland, which was his way of supporting efforts to reduce global plastic use. "The point I want to draw attention to is plastic use of the whole world. According to recent research, it is estimated that 1.3 billion tons of plastic will be scattered around the world by 2040 if we do not stop using plastic. I think that we, as athletes, can make our voices heard by a broad audience by taking advantage of the universality of sports. Sport has a unique power. I always think about what I can do for the good of our world and our country and create a brighter future. It is my greatest motivation to do the best without saying what I can do alone. As I said, I believe that sports are an exceptional power that touches and unites people's lives. I continue to work to use this power in the best way possible." (intlgymnast.com, 29 Apr 2021)
YOUTH ACADEMY
In 2018 he and fellow Turkish gymnast Coskun Boncuk co-founded Kolektif Akademi, a gymnastics academy for children in Izmir, Turkiye. He plans to dedicate his career to the academy once he has finished competing. "I want to train children to be even better gymnasts than we are. I have high hopes for this. And after retirement, I will manage the academy in Izmir. This is very important to me. We are doing this for the advancement and development of the sport." (Kolektif Akademi Instagram profile, 19 Aug 2022; gymnovosti.com, 29 Jun 2019; milliyet.com.tr, 02 Nov 2018, 24 Sep 2018)
Last update : 2024-07-22
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