Near East University's long-distance swimmer Doğukan Ulaç is participating for the fifth time in the Bosphorus Intercontinental Swimming Race, which is regarded as the "World's Best Open Water Swimming Organization", where he previously won the championship. National Swimmer Osman Akkuş, who is the coach of Doğukan Ulaç, will also participate in the organization, which hosts more than 2400 participants from 58 countries.
According to the information given by the Press and Public Relations Directorate of Near East University, the 32nd Samsung Bosphorus Intercontinental Swimming Race will be broadcast live at TRT Spor 2 on Sunday, August 23, 2020, at 10:00. Strict measures were taken in line with the recommendations of national and international health organizations due to COVID-19, and the race will be held without an audience this year. Doğukan Ulaç, who became the General Classification Champion in the race he participated in in 2018, will swim for the championship again in the race which he participated for the fifth time.
National swimmer Osman Akkuş, who has achieved numerous successes and records in swimming so far, is also participating in the race for the 28th time. The race, where swimmers will swim between Asia and Europe, will take place through the 6.5 km Kanlıca-Kuruçeşme (Cemal Topuz Park) track.
Doğukan Ulaç: "I am excited as I am aiming the championship in a unique and challenging fight ..."
Doğukan Ulaç, a long-distance swimmer who will challenge to thousands of swimmers from around the world and expressed his excitement to participate in one of the world's leading open water swimming organizations for the fifth time, said that his goal is swimming for the championship. Expressing that he wants to achieve success by turning the experiences he gained in the past years into an advantage, Ulaç said, “First of all, it is a great honor to be a swimmer in such a great organization that contributes greatly to the promotion of both our country and Near East University. Together with my trainers, I got prepared for the race with an intense training program including double training a day. Using my previous experience in the race, I want to complete the race by swimming smoothly against the current. I would like to thank my coaches, who have worked hard on me, to my family for their support and also to Near East University for giving me this chance ”.
Memhet Gürcenk: "We have prepared for the race in discipline in the best possible way..."
Swimming Coach Mehmet Gürcenk said that they prepared for the swimming marathon, one of the biggest and most important open water organizations in the world, with an intense training program for three months. Stating that they had to take a long break from routine swimming training due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have made use of the last 3 months most efficiently, Gürcenk stated that they trained 6 hours a day, including double training every day. Stating that Doğukan Ulaç is a disciplined and exemplary athlete, Gürcenk said, “Doğukan is an extraordinary athlete who trains seriously despite his young age. He allocates 6 hours each day for training. For the intercontinental race, we trained in the sea as well as in the pool. Osman Akkuş, who is our national swimmer and has great experience in swimming, guides Doğukan on the strategy of using his skills correctly and how to make decisions in the waters of the Bosphorus. In 2018, we won the general classification. Doğukan, who could not reach the championship goal because he changed his swimming route last year, said that this year he benefited from his experience in the previous year and will swim to the championship in the difficult race without deviating from his route.
Osman Akkuş: "We are aiming for the General Classification First Place ..."
Osman Akkuş, who is a strategic and guide coach for the national swimmer and Doğukan Ulaç, said that they are experienced and their goals are by far to be the winner of the General Classification. Reminding that he will also swim the Bosphorus for the 28th time, Akkuş stated that he wants to reach to a total of 30 years in this race and said that he believed that they would reach the championship they aimed by transferring their experience of so many years to Doğukan Ulaç.
Assoc. Dr. Atamtürk: "We wholeheartedly support our athlete ..."
Near East University Health, Culture and Sports Department Head Hakan Atamtürk wished success to their swimmer Doğukan Ulaç and National Swimmer Osman Akkuş. Stating that it is the dream of many people to swim across the Bosphorus, but this is not an easy task, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Atamtürk said, “It is pleasing to take place in the event as a Turkish Cypriot, an event which is regarded as the best open water swimming organization in the world and hosts thousands of swimmers. Our swimmer, together with his trainers Mehmet Gürcenk and Osman Akkuş, trained thoroughly and prepared for the race. We are confident that it will be shown once again that Near East University has achieved significant success in the swimming branch. We wish success to our swimmers."