President Kurt met with successful athletes.

Odunpazarı Mayor Kazım Kurt met with the successful athletes of the Odunpazarı Sports Club Athletics Team. “Our athletes always make us proud everywhere, at all times,” said Mayor Kurt, advising young athletes not to neglect their education as well as sports.

Odunpazarı Mayor Kazım Kurt came together with the successful athletes of the Odunpazarı Sports Club Athletics Team. The meeting took place at Aladdin Cafe, attended by Odunpazarı Sports President Adnan Evren Olcay, team coaches, and athletes. Thanking Mayor Kazım Kurt for his support, Odunpazarı Sports Club President Adnan Evren Olcay stated that they would continue to support amateur sports in Eskişehir.

In 7 years, 138 trophies, 614 individual medals, and 14 national athletes
In the meeting, first, Odunpazarı Sports Club Athletics Team Coach Serhat Kökten provided information about the team’s activities and achievements. “I thank Odunpazarı Municipality for selecting successful students from each school in Odunpazarı and bringing them together under the same roof,” Kökten noted, emphasizing that they have won 138 trophies and 614 individual medals in 7 years. He stated that they have also raised 14 national athletes and mentioned that their club sends many athletes to the ENKA Club every year. Kökten added that these students receive scholarships throughout the year, and 19 of the athletes who participated in the Youth and Sports Ministry’s Athlete Training Center (SEM) selections successfully received scholarships from the ministry. Kökten said, “Our club reaches as many athletes as possible while also training elite athletes. Our athletes who placed in the top 5 of the LEAGUE competitions have gained delegate rights in federation elections. The follow-up and training processes of our athletes are monitored until university. With this system, many students have been brought to BESYO departments. We thank our valuable administrators, especially Odunpazarı Mayor Kazım Kurt, for their unconditional and unlimited support in terms of service and equipment since the beginning. Without this system, our activities would have been limited to a certain category of school sports activities. We are happy to make our club’s name known throughout Turkey.”

“Eskişehir could be an athletics city”
Stating that their main goal is to have a new generation that is both athletic and healthy, Odunpazarı Mayor Kazım Kurt said they aim to create a healthy Turkey with this healthy new generation. He stated that the path to this is through sports and education. Mayor Kurt said, “Both doing sports and studying are important above all. Athletics, in my opinion, is the mother of all sports. Those who do not practice athletics cannot practice any sports. Those who are successful in athletics have the chance to succeed in any branch they desire according to their talent. Therefore, I value your efforts. We have been trying to organize these activities with our coach Serhat Kökten for years. I thank him in your presence. There are very few people in Turkey who do this job with love and dedication. Coach Serhat is one of those leading individuals, and therefore we want to grow this job together with him. This year, the Odunpazarı Sports Club has slightly revised its structure. You cannot find this many trophies in the market. But you have received dozens of trophies every year. Winning 138 trophies means being successful 138 times. Therefore, I congratulate each of you individually. Keep working without getting tired, without fear, and without losing enthusiasm. I am sure you will succeed in the end. Eskişehir could be an athletics city. Many people can gain a future from athletics in Eskişehir. Those who enter BESYO are among the most important examples. Entering BESYO means saving part of your life, while getting into the National Team means saving your entire life. So work hard. Strive and do what your coaches say. Do not neglect your education or sports. We love you. I wish you success and kiss your eyes.