Şennur Demir, a former European and world champion boxer, has embarked on a coaching career that began with remarkable success at the 3rd European Games.
In a recent interview on Anadolu Agency (AA) Sports Talks, Demir, who currently serves as the coach of the Turkish women's national boxing team, reflected on her journey and the achievements of her athletes.
At the 3rd European Games held in Poland, Demir had the opportunity to coach her former teammates on the national team.
One of her proudest moments was guiding Olympic champion Busenaz Sürmeneli to a gold medal victory.
Demir shared her joy, stating: "I started my coaching career at the top with the European Games. It was an incredible experience for me. We prepared meticulously with our team and achieved outstanding results. Six of our athletes secured Olympic quotas and returned to our country triumphant. Even if we couldn't claim the championship, our aim was to secure the quotas by reaching the top four. We accomplished this feat with our six athletes. Busenaz and her teammates became champions once again, bringing home the gold medal. We achieved our goal, and our other athletes gave their best. It went exactly as planned."
Having faced numerous challenges throughout her own sports career, including becoming a European and world champion, Demir shared that she never had the opportunity to participate in the Olympics. As a coach, her aspiration is to guide her athletes to Olympic success. "I have worked tirelessly, persevered, and believed in myself to reach this point," she added.
Demir highlighted her unique relationship with Busenaz Sürmeneli, describing it as more than just a coach-athlete dynamic.
"I don't consider myself just her coach; I am her companion and sister. In fact, she has much to teach me, not the other way around. We were roommates when I was an athlete, and we continue to be roommates as coach and athlete," she said.
The coach emphasized that coaching is not as straightforward as it may appear from the outside.
Demir acknowledged the difficulties and stresses that come with the job.
"I would often struggle to sleep on match nights when I was an athlete myself. But once the match was over, everything would settle. As a coach, it's not just about a single match; you feel the excitement for all your athletes' matches. When I was an athlete, I thought coaching would be easier, but now I understand that coaching is far more demanding. I still experience intense excitement on the sidelines," she said.
Demir highlighted the transformative impact of Busenaz Sürmeneli and Buse Naz Çakıroğlu on Turkish women's boxing.
Their achievements have not only propelled the sport but also sparked a newfound interest among families.
"Thanks to our 'Buses,' women's boxing has gained significant momentum. Families who were initially hesitant to enroll their children in boxing now direct them toward the sport if they exhibit talent. This presents a wonderful and unique opportunity for our country. Turkish boxing has made great strides, and we have the potential to achieve even greater success in the future. Our athletes possess immense talent, and we are fortunate to receive excellent support from the government and federations. However, talent is crucial, and Busenaz Sürmeneli's talent was discovered at a young age, with a meticulous plan in place leading up to the Olympics. I believe she has reached these heights as a result of that planning. I hope that together, we will bring home another medal in Paris 2024," Demir said.