Spirits are high in the Türkiye's women's national judo team camp ahead of the Youth European Championships, scheduled in Coimbra, Portugal, from June 20-25.
With their sights set on securing the prestigious gold medal, the team has been immersed in training at the Trabzon Türkiye Olympic Preparation Center (TOHM) since June 2.
Yasin Doğan, the national team coach, spoke to Anadolu Agency (AA) about their aspirations for the upcoming championships.
He revealed that they will be fielding a team of 10 talented athletes in Portugal and expressed confidence in their performance, saying, "We are hopeful of achieving outstanding results."
Doğan highlighted that they have athletes who have already clinched accolades in last year's European and world championships.
"We have three athletes who achieved remarkable success in the World Cup. As a result, our expectation of winning a medal stands at 50%. While our other athletes are also incredibly talented, some are experiencing their first year on the national team. Nevertheless, we anticipate impressive outcomes from all of them," he said.
Looking beyond the Youth European Championships, Doğan disclosed that the team has further ambitions to participate in the Youth Olympics in Slovakia and the World Championships in Croatia.
Their ultimate objective is to attain remarkable results in these prestigious competitions.
Sinem Oruç, a 16-year-old judoka who is a world and European champion, shared her journey in the sport.
Representing the Konya Metropolitan Belediyespor Club, she has dedicated nine years to judo and competes in the 63 kg. weight category.
Recounting her achievements, she stated, "I concluded last year as the European and world champion. This year, I have already secured three titles in the Teplice, Gori, and Göygöl cups. Ahead of us lies the European Championship, the Youth Olympics in July, and the World Championship in August. My goal is to defend the titles I have earned thus far. We claimed third place in the World Championships. This year, our objective is to emerge as champions both individually and as a team."
Tuana Gülenay, an athlete from Ankara EGO Sports Club, expressed her aspirations as she competes in the 70 kg. weight category.
"Last season, I secured second place in Türkiye and became the reigning champion this season. Moreover, I attained first place in three European cups this year. Now, our focus is on the championships in Portugal. With divine blessings, I am aiming for another victory there," she said.
Begümnaz Doğruyol, a Sivas Athlete Training Center athlete, competes in the 44 kg. weight category.
Reflecting on her previous achievements, she shared: "In the previous World Championships, I reached the final but finished in second place. However, I have also earned European accolades, securing first place in Romania and second place in Zagreb. We have three tournaments ahead of us – the European Championships, the Youth Olympics, and the World Championships. Our objective is to excel both as a team and individually. This year, I am determined to reclaim the championships title that eluded me last year."