28.08.2025 02:20
Aysel Önder, who broke the world and Paralympic Games record in the women's 400 meters T20 class with a time of 54.96 at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, managed to improve her own women's world record by 16 hundredths of a second, bringing it down to 54.80 at the Turkey Championship held from August 24-26.
In the Turkey Championship held in İzmir, special athlete Aysel Önder managed to improve her own women's 400 meters T20 world record by 16 hundredths of a second, bringing it down to 54.80. She continues her efforts for new records. Diagnosed with mild mental retardation during her childhood, Aysel Önder started sports at the age of 11 and has made a name for herself with her achievements in recent years.
BROKE EUROPEAN RECORD WITH 56.21
Starting to run 400 meters under the guidance of national team coach Damla Tan, Önder broke the world and Paralympic Games record in the women's 400 meters T20 class (category for special athletes with mild mental retardation) with a time of 54.96 at her first participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. In March, she also broke the European record with a time of 56.21 at the World Indoor Athletics Championships held in Finland.
IMPROVED THE RECORD BY 16 HUNDREDTHS
Holding the world, European, and Paralympic records for 400 meters, Önder improved her own women's world record by 16 hundredths of a second, bringing it down to 54.80 at the Turkey Championship held in İzmir from August 24-26. Aysel Önder aims to further improve her record at the Para Athletics World Championship starting on September 27 in India.
'I WANT TO BREAK THE RECORD AGAIN EXCEPT FOR THE GOLD MEDAL'
Aysel Önder told AA reporter that she continues to break records from where she left off. Reminding that she refreshed her record at the Turkey Championship after the Olympics, Önder said, "I have been working for a year to renew the record. I will continue to work. We will go to India for the World Championship in September. I want to break the record again, apart from the gold medal." She emphasized that athletics has a significant impact on her life and stated that her family has always supported her.
Explaining that she wants to go as far as she can in sports, Önder said, "I plan to continue until the 2032 Olympics. If God permits and if I have strength in my legs, I plan to continue. I want to finish at the top in 2032 with a gold medal and a new record." She added that determination, ambition, and regular training are important for athletes, and during the competition, she generally tries to cut off her connection with the outside world without even looking at her competitors.
'365 DAYS OF WORK FOR 16 HUNDREDTHS'
Önder's coach Damla Tan stated that they started their journey with Aysel 10 years ago and gradually turned long-distance runner Aysel into a 400-meter runner.
Tan, who reported that Aysel has been competing as a special athlete for about 2 years, noted: "She made history by breaking both the world and Paralympic records at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. She also won the second place in the Paralympic Games. In March 2025, she buried her own 400-meter record at the World Indoor Athletics Championships. Additionally, at our first target competition, the Turkey Championship held in İzmir, she managed to improve her own record of 54.96 to 54.80 in the 400 meters. This process is, of course, challenging. We have been working for 365 days for approximately 16 hundredths."