Türkiye's national artistic gymnastics team takes center stage, their sights set on the 6th Artistic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup slated as a dress rehearsal for the forthcoming World Championship in Belgium from Sept. 30 to Oct. 8.
Coach Yılmaz Göktekin sat down for an exclusive conversation with Anadolu Agency (AA).
Göktekin's words resonated with conviction as he highlighted the surge of accomplishments that have graced Turkish gymnastics in recent times.
An undying dedication fuels their mission to build upon these triumphs, propelling them toward a podium finish in the World Challenge Cup scheduled for Sept. 1-3 in the vibrant city of Mersin.
"After the competitions in Mersin, we have a world championship. This is a competition where we chase the Olympic quota as a team. We have been at the camp for 2.5-3 months with the national team. We have scheduled competitions in this camp. We will approach this competition as a preparation for the Belgium showdown. We are participating in this competition to see our shortcomings, to create our dynamics and to see our latest situation before the World Championship. The data we will obtain in the competition will be important for us in terms of eliminating the shortcomings of the athletes," Göktekin.
The canvas of competition will be a tapestry of both young promise and seasoned mastery, as the Artistic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup serves as a crucible for their mettle.
"Our goal in this competition, of course, is the final. After the final, we can say medals. Our performance criterion in this competition is the degree achieved by the athletes. Of course, medals are also important. I think we're going to get a medal," Göktekin added.
Two national athletes, Ferhat Arıcan and Ahmet Önder, carved their narratives.
"We are very happy to host here. We are waiting for the people of Mersin. It is said that the Gymnastics World Challenge Cup is one of the best organizations. In this sense, we are very happy. I will compete in the pommel horse and parallel bars. Individually, I aim to win gold," Ferhat Arıcan said.
"The World Championship is very important for us because we want to get the Olympic quota. We have a goal of achieving a first in history. We aim to go to the Olympics as a team for the first time. Therefore, we pay great attention to training on this path. We want to continue on our way by achieving good grades in this tournament we hosted. We want to gain motivation before an important World Championship," Ahmet Önder echoed.