National athletes will take to the mat at the European Taekwondo Championships starting on Thursday in Serbia.
According to the Turkish Taekwondo Federation, the event, hosted by the capital Belgrade from May 9 to 12, will see over 520 athletes from more than 40 countries participating.
Türkiye will be represented by 16 athletes (eight female, eight male) in taekwondo and 19 athletes (nine female, 10 male) in para taekwondo at the championships.
Metin Şahin, president of the Turkish Taekwondo Federation, expressed confidence in their chances, stating: "We come here as the reigning champions in all categories. We aim for a similar success in Serbia. Our ultimate goal is Paris 2024. We see this as the final major test before the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Alongside our 13 athletes competing in Paris, our entire team will strive to do their best at the European Championships. We have confidence in our entire team."
Türkiye claimed team championships in both men's, women's and para taekwondo at the last European Championships held in England in 2022.
The Crescent-Stars finished the 2022 championship with 11 medals in taekwondo (five gold, two silver, four bronze) and eight medals in para taekwondo (four gold, three silver, one bronze).
The national team roster for the 2024 European Taekwondo Championships is as follows:
Taekwondo
Women: Emine Göğebakan (46 kg.), Merve Dinçel Kavurat (49 kg.), Zeynep Taşkın (53 kg.), Hatice Kübra İlgün (57 kg.), Hatice Pınar Yiğitalp (62 kg.), İkra Kayır (67 kg.), Sude Yaren Uzunçavdar (73 kg.), Nafia Kuş Aydın (+73 kg.)
Men: Furkan Ubeyde Çamoğlu (54 kg.), Ömer Faruk Dayıoğlu (58 kg.), Hakan Reçber (63 kg.), Ferhat Can Kavurat (68 kg.), Yiğithan Kılıç (74 kg.), Mehmet Kani Polat (80 kg.), Enbiya Taha Biçer (87 kg.), Emre Kutalmış Ateşli (+87 kg.)
Para taekwondo
Women: Nurcihan Ekinci (47 kg.), Büşra Emire (47 kg.), Meryem Betül Çavdar (52 kg.), Lütfiye Özdağ (52 kg.), Gamze Gürdal (57 kg.), Sümeyye Özcan (57 kg.), Seçil Er (65 kg.), Ayşe Dudu Karatay (65 kg.), Nisa Nur Gürses (+65 kg.)
Men: Ali Can Özcan (58 kg.), Yusuf Eren Ay (58 kg.), Mahmut Bozteke (63 kg.), Mehmet Dönmez (63 kg.), Fatih Çelik (70 kg.), Yusuf Yünaçtı (70 kg.), Oktay Atalay (80 kg.), Adem Arda Özkul (80 kg.), Mehmet Sami Saraç (+80 kg.), İsmail Kaynak (+80 kg.)