Sessions titled 'Women are Strong Together: Those Who Succeed with Sports' and 'The Future of Sports Investments in the 21st century' were held at the summit, starting with the World FairPlay Cartoon and Photograph Exhibition of the Turkish National Olympic Committee and organized by Istanbul Gelisim University and Sports Policies Association. An award ceremony was also held at the end of the summit. While Turkish National Paralympic athletes Zübeyde Süpürgeci, Hamide Doğangün and Büşra Ün were awarded for their achievements. Among the awardees were Turkish National Football Team Manager Hamit Altıntop and Turkish Basketball Federation General Coordinator Ömer Onan, who attended the summit as speakers. Önder Özen received the Sports Commentator of the Year Award.
“AS WOMEN WE ARE DOING A GOOD JOB”
Professional tennis player İpek Öz, who received an award at the summit, said that such events would be beneficial for Turkish sports and added, “It was a very enjoyable and beautiful day. I hope I will be here again next year and be able to speak.”
Expressing that women are not in the place they deserve in sports, but they achieve remarkable things as women, Öz said, "I hope we can get to the place we really deserve in the near future."
She said that her goal is to participate in the Grand Slams, which are the important tournaments of tennis, and to be in the top 100 and rank firsts.
“GIRLS CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING, AS LONG AS THEY WANT”
Returning with a gold medal from the Para Athletics European Championship held in Poland in June, Zübeyde Süpürgeci expressed that she was very happy for the award she received at the 4th Sports Summit and that the sport they did was difficult. Süpürgeci said, "I would like to thank Istanbul Gelisim University for crowning our success by making us worthy of this award."
Emphasizing that "Girls can achieve anything, as long as they want to" for girls who want to be involved in sports, Süpürgeci said, "Of course, our life is very difficult in every field, but as women, we can overcome this difficulty. Let's believe in ourselves.”
Süpürgeci said about her next goal, "I want to be the first in the 2022 World Championships in Japan and then become the champion in the Paris 2024 Paralympics."
“WE SHOW WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS WHEN WE ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY”
Paralympic athlete Hamide Doğangün, who came fifth in Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and received an award at the 4th Sports Summit, is very happy to receive an award and her next goal is to be ranked in the 2024 Paralympics to be held in Paris and represent Turkey in the best way possible.
Speaking about girls who want to progress in sports but face different obstacles, Doğangün said, “We show that we will do great things when given the opportunity. I want them to be given the opportunity and see what we can do.”
“I WANT TO REPRESENT MY COUNTRY IN THE BEST WAY AND WAVE THE FLAG”
Büşra Ün, the first Turkish female tennis player to participate in the Paralympic Games, stated that the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games held last year were very bumpy, intense and tiring. It's really an honor to be here.”
Stating that her goal is to always be able to do better, Ün said, “I don't know what will change or what will happen in this process. I want to represent my country in the best possible way and wave the flag.”
Noting that female athletes don't have to follow the stereotypes, Ün said, "They can do whatever they want, whatever branch they want. They can be successful in whatever they want after giving their due and working hard. Keep working.”
“CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS ENCOURAGES PEOPLE”
Serap Özçelik Arapoğlu, who represented Turkey at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where karate took part for the first time, and won the World and European Championship, said, “I am really happy. Crowning achievements encourages people. In this way, we can take more solid steps towards our future goals. This has been an incentive for me. I hope I can do better.”
Arapoğlu stated that her next goal is to be successful in the European championship.
