TURKISH SPORT HEROES

Turkey has many sport heroes in various sport branches. They were very successful in their sport career. Some of them retired, and some of them goes on adding successes to their career. By winning many medals and cups in the olympics and in some other international tournaments, they made Turkish people happy and proud. Here we want to introduce 7 of them. It wasnt easy to eleminate them into 7. We tried to select them in various branches. Lets take a look..

NAİM SÜLEYMANOĞLU weightlifting

Naim Süleymanoğlu (born January 23, 1967 in Bulgaria), formerly known as Naim Suleimanov, is a Turkish World and Olympic Champion in weightlifting. He won three Olympic Championships, seven World Championships and six European Championships and earned 46 world records.

Competitor for TurkeyTurkey Olympic Games Gold1988 Seoul-60 kg Gold1992 Barcelona-60 kg Gold1996 Atlanta-64 kg World Championships World Championships Total Gold1989 Athens-60 kg Gold 1991 Donaueschingen -60 kg Gold1993 Melbourne64 kg Gold1994 Istanbul-64 kg Gold1995 Guangzhou-64 kg Competitor for BulgariaBulgaria World Championships World Championships Total Gold1985 Södertälje-60 kg Gold1986 Sofia-60 kg Silver1983 Moscow-56 kg

He was nicknamed "The Pocket Hercules" due to his small stature (1.47 meters). He is the second of only seven lifters to lift three times their bodyweight. Süleymanoğlu set his first world record at the age 16.

HALİL MUTLU weightlifting

Halil Mutlu (born in 1973 in Bulgaria) is a Turkish World and Olympic Champion in weightlifting. He is one of only four weightlifters to have won three consecutive gold medals at Olympic Games. He won five World Championships, nine European Championships and broke more than 20 world records at 52 kg (115 lb), 54 kg (119 lb) and 56 kg (123 lb) combined.

Medal record Halil Mutlu Competitor for TurkeyTurkey Mens WeightliftingWeightlifting Olympic Games Gold1996 Atlanta– 56 kg Gold2000 Sydney– 56 kg Gold2004 Athens– 56 kg World Championships Silver1993 Melbourne– 54 kg Gold1994 Istanbul– 54 kg Gold1998 Lahti– 56 kg Gold1999 Athens– 56 kg Gold2001 Antalya– 56 kg Gold2003 Vancouver– 62 kg European Championships Gold1999 La Coruña– 56 kg Gold2000 Sofia– 56 kg Gold2001 Trencin– 56 kg Gold2003 Loutraki– 62 kg Gold2005 Sofia– 62 kg Gold 2008 Lignano Sabbiadoro – 56 kg

Only 1.50 meters tall, Mutlu followed in the footsteps of his compatriot weightlifter Nain Süleymanoğlu. Like his idol, Mutlu grew up a member of theTurkish minority in Bulgaria, profited from excellent coaching there and then moved to Turkey, where he took a new name ("Mutlu" means happy in Turkish). Arriving at the age of 16, he soon began setting records and winning titles for his new country.

HİDAYET TÜRKOĞLU basketball

Hidayet "Hedo" Türkoğlu born in 1979 in Turkey) is a Turkish professional basketball player in the NBA currently playing for the Phoenix Suns. He plays the small forward position, although he has played four positions in his career. He possesses above-average ballhandling and playmaking skills for a forward, and is sometimes used in a point forward role.

No. 19 Phoenix SunsPhoenix Suns Forward Personal information Date of birthMarch 19, 1979 ( ) (age 31) Place of birthGaziosmanpaşaGaziosmanpaşa, İstanbulİstanbul NationalityTurkish Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) Listed weight220 lb (100 kg) Career information NBA Draft / Round: 1 / Pick: 16 Selected by the Sacramento KingsSacramento Kings Pro career1996–present Career history Efes PilsenEfes Pilsen (Turkey) (1996–2000) Sacramento Kings (2000–2003) San Antonio Spurs (2003–2004) Orlando Magic ( ) Toronto Raptors ( ) Phoenix Suns (2010-Present)Turkey Sacramento Kings San Antonio Spurs Orlando Magic Toronto Raptors Phoenix Suns Career highlights and awards 2001 NBA All-Rookie Second Team 2008 NBA Most Improved PlayerNBA All-Rookie Second TeamNBA Most Improved Player

METİN OKTAY football

Metin Oktay (in 1936 in İzmir, Turkey) nicknamed the Uncrowned King (Taçsız Kral) by Galatasaray fans, was a legendary Turkish footballer, one of the most successful goalscorers in Turkey. He was the most crowned (six times) top goalscorer in Turkish League and set a record with 217 goals in total.

Metin Oktay Personal information Full nameMetin Oktay Date of birthFebruary 2, 1936( ) Place of birth İzmirİzmir, Turkey Date of death September 13, 1991 Playing positionStriker Senior career 1 YearsClubApp (Gls)* İzmirspor Galatasaray Palermo Galatasaray 18 (17) 105 (103) 12 (3) 298 (285) 421 (407) National team Turkey36 0(19)

SEMİH SAYGINER billards

Semih Saygıner nicknamed Mr. Magic and the Turkish Prince, is a Turkish professional billards player. He won the 1999 CEB Eruropian three-cushion championship by defeating Dion Nelin He nearly won it again the next year but lost to Daniel Sanchez. He was the first from his country to win that tournament.

In 2003, Saygıner won the UMB World Three- cushion. He's the only Turk ever to win it. That same year, he won the last World Three-cushion Championship Saygıner shares the world record for the highest run in three- cushion billiards, of 31, with Colombian Hugo Patino.

HAMZA YERLİKAYA wrestling

Hamza Yerlikaya (born in1976) is a Turkish Graeco-Roman style wrestler. He is a two- time (in 1996 and 2000) Olympic champion, three-time World champion (1993, 1995, and 2005), and the only Turkish wrestler to ever become European champion eight times. He was named The Wrestler of the century in 1996 by FILA.

Medal record Men's Greco-Roman Wrestling Olympic Games Gold1996 Atlanta, Georgia, USA82 kg Gold2000 Sydney, Australia85 kg World Championships Gold1993 Stockholm, SwedenStockholmSweden82 kg Gold1995 Prague, CzechoslovakiaPragueCzechoslovakia85 kg Silver1997 Wrocław, PolandWrocławPoland85 kg Gold2005 Budapest, HungaryBudapestHungary96 kg World Cup Gold1997 Tehran, IranTehranIran85 kg Silver2002 Cairo, EgyptCairoEgypt96 kg Gold2006 Budapest, HungaryBudapestHungary96 kg European Championships Silver1993 Istanbul, TurkeyIstanbulTurkey82 kg Gold1996 Budapest, HungaryBudapestHungary82 kg Gold1997 Kouvola, FinlandKouvolaFinland85 kg Gold1998 Minsk, BelarusMinskBelarus85 kg Gold1999 Sofia, BulgariaSofiaBulgaria85 kg Gold2001 Istanbul, TurkeyIstanbulTurkey85 kg Gold2002 Seinäjoki, FinlandSeinäjokiFinland84 kg Gold2005 Varna, BulgariaVarnaBulgaria96 kg Gold2006 Moscow, RussiaMoscowRussia96 kg

KENAN SOFUOĞLU motorcycling

Kenan Sofuoğlu (born in 1983, in Adapazarı) is a Turkish professional motorcycle racer. He currently competes in the Supersport World Championship for the Ten Kate, Honda. He won this title for them in He raced in the World Superbike Championship for Ten Kate in 2008, but with limited success.