Alanya Budo Sports Club competed with Ahmet Emir Tekin, Hakan Sönmez and İbrahim Yıldırım at the U21 Taekwondo Western Group Competitions held in Izmir on 23-24 September. Competing in the 80 kg category, Ahmet Emir Tekin finished sixth, secured a place among the top eight and qualified for the Turkish U21 Taekwondo Championship to be held in Ordu on 3-5 October. The Antalya delegation qualified a total of eight athletes for the national finals.
The U21 Taekwondo Western Group Competitions, organized as part of the Turkish Taekwondo Federation’s 2026 activity calendar, were held in Izmir on 23-24 September.
As Alanya Budo Sports Club, we took part in the event with three athletes. Ahmet Emir Tekin competed at 80 kg, Hakan Sönmez at 63 kg and İbrahim Yıldırım at 58 kg.
The two-day competition was an important stage for our athletes, both in the qualification process for the national finals and in gaining valuable experience at national level.
AHMET EMİR TEKİN SECURES HIS TICKET TO ORDU
Competing for our club in the 80 kg category, Ahmet Emir Tekin completed the event in sixth place.
By finishing among the top eight, our athlete earned the right to compete at the Turkish U21 Taekwondo Championship, which will be held in Ordu from 3 to 5 October 2026.
In Ordu, Ahmet Emir Tekin will step onto the tatami representing our club, Alanya and Antalya, with the aim of competing for a national ranking.
HAKAN SÖNMEZ GAINS HIS FIRST MAJOR COMPETITION EXPERIENCE
Our athlete Hakan Sönmez, competing in the 63 kg category, experienced the excitement of stepping onto the tatami for the first time at a major competition of this level.
The competition atmosphere, weigh-in process, preparation period and match experience provided Hakan with valuable lessons that he can carry into future events.
At our club, we evaluate the development of our athletes not only through rankings and medals, but also through the experience they gain and the determination they show in every competition.
İBRAHİM YILDIRIM ADDS ANOTHER EXPERIENCE TO HIS JOURNEY
İbrahim Yıldırım, who competed in the 58 kg category, also took part in important matches in Izmir.
Having already gained competition experience at different events, İbrahim faced new opponents in the Western Group competition and added another valuable step to his development.
Every match provides an important foundation for our athlete to enter future tournaments better prepared.
EIGHT ANTALYA ATHLETES QUALIFY FOR THE TURKISH FINALS
The Western Group competitions in Izmir also produced notable results for Antalya Taekwondo.
A total of eight athletes from Antalya, representing different clubs, finished among the top eight in their respective categories and qualified for the Turkish finals in Ordu.
The Antalya athletes who qualified for the national finals are:
Gülsüm Gök – 2nd
Melih Hamza Yeşilyurt – 63 kg – 2nd
Duran Efe Sezer – 74 kg – 3rd
Sefa Eymen Türkkot – 63 kg – 7th
Ahmet Emir Tekin – 80 kg – 6th
Ali Arhan Şimşek – 87 kg – 7th
Mert Ülker – +87 kg – 5th
Tarık Can Taşçı – +87 kg – 6th
The qualification of athletes from different Antalya clubs reflects the breadth of Taekwondo activity and athlete development across the province.
NOW THE FOCUS TURNS TO ORDU
Following the Izmir stage, our attention now turns to the Turkish U21 Taekwondo Championship, which will take place in Ordu from 3 to 5 October.
Ahmet Emir Tekin will compete in the men’s 80 kg category against athletes who have qualified from different regions of Türkiye.
As Alanya Budo Sports Club, we are continuing our preparations for Ordu while also viewing every competition experience gained by our athletes as an important part of their long-term development.
We congratulate Ahmet Emir Tekin, Hakan Sönmez and İbrahim Yıldırım for the determination they showed in Izmir, and we also congratulate all Antalya athletes and coaches who qualified for the Turkish finals.
Next stop: Ordu.
