Turkiye's first olympic artistic gymnastics team

The Turkish national team earned their Olympic quota at the 52nd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, last October.

The team, consisting of Ferhat Arıcan, Ahmet Önder, Adem Asil, Mehmet Ayberk Koşak, Emre Dodanlı, and Kerem Şener, scored 247.692 points in the team qualifiers, finishing 10th and securing Turkiye's historic first team spot in gymnastics at the Olympics.

In previous Olympic Games, Turkiye was represented by one gymnast in London 2012, two in Rio 2016, and five in Tokyo 2020. For Paris 2024, Turkiye will also field a team of five gymnasts: Ferhat Arıcan, Adem Asil, İbrahim Çolak, Ahmet Önder, and Emre Dodanlı.

FERHAT ARICAN

Ferhat Arıcan, Turkiye's only Olympic medalist in gymnastics, has etched his name in the country's gymnastics history with numerous achievements.

Arıcan won a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which were held in 2021 due to the pandemic. His career is marked by successes in many international competitions.

Last year, he secured two silver medals at the European Championships, adding to his bronze at the 2022 European Championships and two golds and one bronze at both the Mediterranean Games and the Islamic Solidarity Games. Arıcan also won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the European Championships in 2020 and 2021, a bronze at the 2019 European Championships and European Games, silver and bronze at the 2018 Mediterranean Games, and a gold and silver at the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games. His career began with a bronze at the 2013 Mediterranean Games and a silver at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

ADEM ASIL

Adem Asil achieved remarkable success at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in Antalya last year, winning titles in the men's all-around and rings events, and securing a silver medal in the team event.

Asil was named the "male gymnast of the year" for 2022 by the European Gymnastics Federation, reflecting his dominance that year.

In 2022, Asil won gold in the rings at the 51st Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in the UK, silver in the rings at the European Championships in Germany, bronze in the all-around and team events, and three championships at the Mediterranean Games along with two silvers and one bronze. He also earned three golds, one silver, and one bronze at the Islamic Solidarity Games.

Asil previously celebrated a team silver at the 2020 European Championships. His World Cup series and various international competitions have also been decorated with medals.

AHMET ÖNDER

Ahmet Önder, a notable figure in Turkish gymnastics, has achieved significant successes.

Last year, he celebrated a team silver at the European Championships, and in 2022, he added silver and bronze at the European Championships, one gold, one silver, and one bronze at the Mediterranean Games, and three golds, two bronzes, and one silver at the Islamic Solidarity Games.

Önder also won a silver medal at the 2020 European Championships and the 2019 World Championships. His career includes numerous medals from World Cup series and international events.

İBRAHİM ÇOLAK

Since 2013, İbrahim Çolak has represented Turkiye in seven consecutive World Gymnastics Championships. He made history by winning gold in the rings at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, marking Turkiye's first world championship in gymnastics, followed by a European championship in Mersin a year later.

Competing in the rings final at the Tokyo Olympics, Çolak finished fifth and won consecutive gold medals in the rings at the Mediterranean Games.

Known for his sharp technique on the rings, one of his signature moves, "The Colak," was officially named and added to the FIG scoring catalog after his performance at the 2017 World Cup in Melbourne.

EMRE DODANLI

Emre Dodanli, who began his gymnastics career in Canada, has been a mainstay in Turkish national teams from the lower age groups to the seniors.

Dodanli earned various distinctions while competing in Canada from 2010 to 2014 and later in Turkiye. He made his mark on the senior national team.

Last year, he was part of the team that secured the Olympic quota at the World Championships, providing him the opportunity to compete in the most significant event of his career.