At just 21, Kutay Şimşek is not only aiming for the top spot at the 9th International Kickboxing World Cup in Istanbul but is also determined to bring pride to his country.

A third-year student at Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University’s Faculty of Sports Sciences, Şimşek started his athletic journey at the tender age of 4, inspired by his father, who practiced both taekwondo and kickboxing.

By age 10, Şimşek was already training intensively in both disciplines. His dedication paid off in 2020 when he won a silver medal at the International Turkish Open Taekwondo Tournament.

Now under the guidance of his older brother and coach, 27-year-old Halil Ibrahim Şimşek, Kutay is laser-focused on claiming gold at the kickboxing world cup, which begins today in Istanbul.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Şimşek shared insights into his demanding schedule, juggling his own training and coaching duties.

"I train for 2.5 to 3 hours daily, but coaching limits my training time. I'm in an intense, individual camp, working on both technique and conditioning. Training with my brother is the best; sometimes, I understand his guidance from just a look," he said.

Despite a recent setback with two fractured metatarsal bones, Şimşek made a swift recovery with specialized support and is now fully prepared for the upcoming tournament.

"My goal at the championship is to represent my country in the best possible way and see our flag raised high," he declared.

Coach Halil Ibrahim Şimşek emphasized Kutay's deep-rooted passion for the sport and his remarkable resilience post-injury.

"Kutay's recovery was challenging because he’s not someone who can stay still. Even while injured, he continued coaching his students. We had to adapt his training to ensure his muscles didn’t deteriorate and his bone structure remained strong. He bounced back faster than we expected by maintaining a strict diet and training regimen," the coach added.

"We aim to win every match we enter, and we have high hopes for Kutay to bring home a medal."