16-year-old national swimmer Kuzey Tunçelli made history by qualifying for the finals at the Paris Olympics.

The 16-year-old national swimmer Kuzey Tunçelli, who is the youngest athlete in Turkey's Olympic team, achieved a historic success in the men's 1500-meter freestyle qualifiers.

ACHIEVING A FIRST BY QUALIFYING FOR THE FINALS

In the men's 1500-meter freestyle qualifiers held at Paris La Defense Arena, the young national athlete finished his heat well ahead with a time of 14:45.27, ranking 5th overall and securing a spot in the final. Kuzey Tunçelli became the first Turkish swimmer to qualify for the finals in the history of the Olympic Games. The final races, in which Turkey's youngest athlete in the Olympic team, Kuzey Tunçelli, will participate, will be held tomorrow at 19:37 GMT.

EMİR BATUR ALBAYRAK BIDS FAREWELL

Emir Batur Albayrak, who competed in the same heat as Kuzey Tunçelli in the men's 1500-meter freestyle qualifiers of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, failed to qualify for the finals. Finishing his heat in 6th place with a time of 15:23.21, Emir Batur Albayrak bid farewell to the games, ranking 23rd overall.

WHO IS KUZEY TUNÇELLİ?

Kuzey Tunçelli, who qualified for the finals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, was born on August 30, 2007, in Istanbul. The successful swimmer, who is a two-time world junior champion and a Turkish record holder, stood out with two gold medals at the World Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel in the summer of 2023, becoming the first swimmer under the age of 16 to go below the 15-minute mark in the 1500-meter event. Tunçelli also secured an Olympic ticket in both the 800 and 1500 meters at this championship. He achieved another significant success by finishing 8th in the 1500 meters at the Doha 2024 World Short Course Championships. He won his first medal in the senior category in the 1500-meter freestyle at the 2024 European Aquatics Championships. Shortly after, he became the European Junior Champion for the second consecutive time by finishing first in the 1500-meter freestyle final at the European Junior Swimming Championships. With his time of 14:41.89, he set the world junior record as well as the European junior, championship, and 17-18-19+ age group Turkish records. He continues his sports career at Fenerbahçe.