At the European Youth Swimming Championships held in Lithuania, Kuzej Tunceli broke the world junior record in the men’s 1500m freestyle with a time of 14 minutes 41.89 seconds, becoming European champion for the second consecutive year.
A Fenerbahce statement said of Kuzey’s success:
“Fenerbahce players, the locomotive of Turkish sport, continue to achieve new things.
Fenerbahce Olympic swimmer Kuzey Tunceli added another medal to his list of achievements after winning gold at the European Water Sports Championships two weeks ago, breaking the record for a second time to become Junior European champion.
Our national swimmer, Kuzey Tunceli, from Fenerbahce, competed in the 1500m freestyle final of the European Junior Swimming Championships in Vilnius, Lithuania, and finished the race in first place with a time of 14 minutes 41.89 seconds, winning the World Junior Championships, European Junior and Championships, and the 17-18-19 Championships + Age. He broke the Turkish record and became the European Youth Champion for the second time.
Kuzej finished 22.15 seconds ahead of Johannes Liebmann of Germany, who finished second in a time of 15:04.04.
Kuzey Tunceli and other athletes stood on the podium and received their medals from the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Prof. Dr. Vedat Işkan, who presented it.
Our record-breaking swimmer won the gold medal at the European Junior Championships hosted by the Serbian capital, Belgrade, last year, breaking the championship record in a time of 14 minutes 58.89 seconds.
Meanwhile, Kerem Iriem swam 2:13.83 in the 200m breaststroke semi-finals to place 4th and qualify for the finals. His final race will be swam on Friday, July 5.
Our other swimmer, Arda Akkoyun, placed 9th in Europe in the 100m butterfly with a time of 53 minutes 45 seconds.
We congratulate athlete Kuzey Tunceli and his coach Aikut Celik.”
Minister Baku offered his congratulations.
Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Ashkin Bak congratulated swimmer Kuzey Tunceli on becoming European champion by breaking the world record, the European Junior Record and the Turkish Record in the 1,500m freestyle final at the European Youth Aquatics Championships.
In his congratulatory speech, Minister Park used the following words:
“Our star swimmer, Kuzey Tunceli, represented the Crescent Star flag at the ongoing European Junior Swimming Championships in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and returned with medals in almost every pool he competed in, becoming European champion with the highest result. Kuzey is 22.15 seconds ahead of his nearest rival and is also world champion,” said Tunceli, who made us proud by achieving the difficult feat of setting a junior record, a European junior record, a championship record and a new Turkish record for the first time in 17 years. “We congratulate our national swimmers, the 18 and 19+ swimmers, on their success and thank their coach, Aykut Celik, and wish them even more success.”
“My goal is the world record,” he said in an interview with Hurriyet.
Kuzey Tunceli, who will represent Japan at the 2024 Paris Olympics, gave an interview to Vanu Yerkovan at the Spor Arena in April. In the interview, Kuzey spoke about his Olympic goals, but also said that he wants to break a world record.
Check out the interview with Kuzey Tunceli below:
Let’s start with the classic question: How did you get started?
I started in the summer of my first year of elementary school. Actually, it’s a late age to start swimming, but I’ve loved playing in the water since I was little, and I was an energetic child, so I improved quickly.
Are you one of those athletes who are passionate about sports because they have so much energy?
Yes, like many athletes, my parents wanted me to play a sport that would release my energy, and that sport was swimming.
So, what is the answer to the question of why you chose swimming, as it seems like it wasn’t a conscious choice?
Actually, I think I do sports because I love playing in water.
Now, the coaching factor. I ask you who is the coach that has left an imprint on your life and I can guess the answer: Aykut Çelik, right?
Yes, for me that coach is Aikut Celik who has been my coach since I was very young. He has always cared very much about me and I am very grateful to him for bringing me to this level. I am very grateful to him.
Actually, when it comes to swimming, I should open another paragraph about Aikut Çelik… he is one of the names I most want to interview… but while that is over, let’s come back to it: You are a youth world champion. This is an incredible achievement, you are not just a champion, you are a record breaker. You set a new record in the 800m freestyle at the World Junior Swimming Championships and won the gold medal. Then the 1500 freestyle… Then you passed the A threshold directly and qualified for Paris 2024. You are the first athlete to have crossed the limit in swimming. Now, what other records and achievements are in your sights?
Hopefully, as long as I continue with this sport into my later years, I want to compete against the best in the world and my goal will always be the world record.
How did it feel to have qualified for Paris 2024?
I can’t express in words how motivated I felt, feeling that my work had paid off. Then, I suddenly realized what I really wanted to do in Paris, and now I work a lot for Paris.
Now, with the Olympics approaching, are you mentally prepared for that environment?
Yes, we are preparing at a high tempo. I want to make Turkey proud at the Olympics and proclaim the Turkish flag loudly for all countries.
But have fun with it too…
of course.
You’re a very young athlete. You’ve accomplished everything from such a young age. Who would you say is your role model? Like Michael Phelps?
Michael Phelps is becoming so cliché now. Everyone says it… I am Gregorio Partirinieri, he is an Italian athlete, now 30 years old and still swimming at the highest level. He swims the same distances as me, we have very similar characteristics and he is definitely my idol.
Your club, Fenerbahce, is one of the clubs that has sent the most players to the Olympics. What is the environment there like?
It’s a really great environment there, everyone pushes each other and we always improve together very quickly. I’m very happy and very grateful to Fenerbahçe.
You say that players from all branches welcome successful players. Is that true?
Yes, of course.
Did they come up to greet you after you won?
Here they come.
Are there any athletes at your own club that you have a better relationship with and respect?
Of course, Eda Erdem. But as a swimmer, not so much.
