Turkish families back Down syndrome gymnasts to shine in Antalya
GYMNASTICS requires years of dedication and hard work to excel, especially for individuals with Down syndrome who often start later due to their disadvantages.
These athletes, along with their families, put in years of effort to thrive in the sport.
The second edition of the Trisome World Games, specifically for athletes with Down syndrome, will be hosted by Türkiye in Antalya on March 19-26, following the inaugural event in Florence, Italy, in 2016.
The Turkish special athletes gymnastics national team, under the supervision of their coaches, is currently training in Ankara for the upcoming games.
Rengül Çalar, the head of the special athletes gymnastics technical committee at the sports federation, expressed their honor in hosting the event and welcoming special children.
She mentioned the significance of the event, with hundreds of children competing in eight different sports.
Çalar highlighted that the national team will compete in artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, with four men and three women in artistic gymnastics, and two women in rhythmic gymnastics.
She emphasized the tremendous effort these athletes put in, starting at a young age and requiring intense dedication to reach certain milestones in gymnastics.
Çalar praised the athletes for their hard work and dedication, along with their parents for their patience and support.
Nazlı Nehir Ünal, a member of the technical committee for gymnastics, mentioned that the starting age for gymnastics has been lowered to four years old.
However, children with Down syndrome often cannot start at this age due to their physical limitations.
The goal of the national team is to achieve great results and make all the athletes happy, regardless of winning medals.
Ünal mentioned the challenges they face, particularly in mastering difficult gymnastic elements like the balance beam, which is daunting even for able-bodied athletes.
She noted that when athletes cannot perform certain movements, they do not get upset; instead, they show understanding, as they know the effort required.
Despite the challenges, the athletes are excited to compete in Antalya, where they will experience love and support from the audience.
Ünal believes that this event will mark the beginning of a new era for special athletes in Türkiye.