As the European Youth and U-23 Weightlifting Championships approach, set to take place from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3 in Poland, the Turkish men's weightlifting team’s head coach, Gökhan Kuşçuoğlu, expressed high hopes for his athletes, particularly from the young men's squad.
He anticipates a team championship and individual medals, emphasizing their readiness and potential.
Joining Kuşçuoğlu in the final preparations at the Turkish Olympic Preparation Center in Ankara are coach Yasin Aydın and standout lifters: Harun Algül (55 kg.), Yusuf Fehmi Genç (67 kg.) and Ali Oflaz (+109 kg.).
The squad will field 10 competitors in the youth category and three in the U-23 category, with Kuşçuoğlu stating: "We expect medals from nearly all our athletes, especially from the youth team, where we aim for the championship. From our U-23 team, we are counting on Yusuf Fehmi Genç for a title and medals from Ali Oflaz and Harun Algül."
Reflecting on Türkiye's journey toward the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kuşçuoğlu noted: "Muhammed Furkan Özbek will represent us in Paris. We were very close to securing a medal; our training indicated we were championship-ready. Unfortunately, an injury in the last week held us back, but we regard the fourth-place finish in Paris as a success. It was unfortunate, but we will surely make up for it at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Our main focus is preparing our young talents for this level."
Kuşçuoğlu highlighted last year's achievements, where the youth team placed second at the European Championships and the senior men finished third with nine medals, including two golds, at the European Seniors Championships.
Looking ahead to Poland, he expressed confidence in the men’s and women’s youth teams and noted individual hopes for athletes like Ramazan Efe Yılmaz and Yusuf Fehmi Genç.
Coach Yasin Aydın emphasized the team's strong performance and ambition for medals in Poland, particularly expecting gold from all three U-23 competitors.
Yusuf Fehmi Genç, a senior world champion, set his sights on winning gold in Poland and breaking the clean-and-jerk world record during the upcoming World Championship in Bahrain, viewing every competition as a step toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Youth competitor Harun Algül reflected on rigorous training and determination to win medals, while Ali Oflaz, a two-time European champion, aimed to secure the European title in his category, dedicating it to his family.
The Turkish women's national team, preparing in Konya, also aimed for success, with coach Ferhat Coşkun optimistic about medal performances from several athletes across different weight classes.