Hakan Reçber, the Olympic bronze medalist and national taekwondo champion, achieved a milestone this year by clinching his first world championship.

In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Reçber shared his reflections on the year 2023 and his aspirations for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

"2023 has truly been an exceptional year for me," expressed the national taekwondo maestro. "I secured one of the greatest accomplishments of my career – the world championship in the senior category, following my Olympic bronze. While I already had success in the youth category, becoming a world champion among the seniors is even more gratifying."

The World Taekwondo Championships held in Baku, Azerbaijan, and the 31st World University Summer Games in China both saw Reçber return with gold medals this year.

Reflecting on his achievements, he stated: "The University Summer Games are considered a world championship. I have demonstrated my prowess as the best in the world in my weight class twice. This has also helped me accumulate high qualification points for the Olympics."

Having secured the Olympic quota, the 24-year-old athlete, who previously won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, remains optimistic about the road ahead.

"I am more self-assured now, but the Olympics are still on the horizon. We will be participating in more matches until Paris 2024. Next year, there is the European Championships. Winning there would undoubtedly provide the motivation needed to approach the Olympics with even greater confidence. The Tokyo Olympics lacked the true Olympic atmosphere due to the pandemic, with no spectators. I believe the upcoming Olympics will be more exhilarating. I trust in my ability to become a champion with experience and composure, without succumbing to the excitement," he said.

Hakan Reçber openly acknowledged Servet Tazegül, the gold medalist from the 2012 London Olympics and current technical director of the Men's National Taekwondo Team, as his inspiration.

Expressing his admiration, Hakan shared: "I aim to achieve gold in my second Olympics, much like Tazegül, who said, 'I won bronze in my first Olympics, and later, I secured gold.' Working with him is a wonderful feeling. He's a legend in taekwondo, having achieved unforgettable successes. Gaining insights from his knowledge and experiences is truly a significant advantage for us."

Overcoming the constraints of transverse myelitis – a condition that even restricted his ability to walk – Hakan Reçber credited his love for taekwondo for conquering the challenges posed by his illness. When asked if he had envisioned reaching this point, he candidly responded, "Honestly, I didn't envision this much. After all, I couldn't walk. Doctors told me I couldn't walk. I just said, 'If only I could walk.'"

Highlighting the significance of resilience, Hakan emphasized: "After the illness, I became the Turkish champion and youth world champion, but I never thought I would reach this level. God smiled upon me. Regardless of defeats or illnesses, one must never give up."