Muş skiers defy low snowfall, aim for Turkish Championships victory
ski team, which has won 44 medals in four competitions organized by the Turkish Ski Federation this year, is intensively training for the upcoming Cross-Country Skiing Turkish Championship.
Athletes from the Muş Youth and Sports Provincial Directorate’s ski team secured 13 gold, 17 silver and 14 bronze medals in races held in January and February in Hakkari, Erzurum and Bolu.
Having earned the right to participate in the Cross-Country Skiing Turkish Championship in Erzurum on March 1315 with 27 athletes, the Muş Ski Team continues preparing for new successes.
Due to insufficient snow at the ski center in Muş, athletes are training on highaltitude snowy mountains in the city under the supervision of their coaches.
Mehmet Arif Taşdemir, director of Youth and Sports, highlighted the challenges of Muş’s short ski season due to low snow levels.
Despite this, they sent athletes to neighboring provinces with better conditions, resulting in 44 medals in various races.
They are now preparing 27 athletes for the Cross-Country Skiing Turkish Championship, aiming for the title.
Muş has excelled in skiing, with athletes achieving top three placements in European and Balkan championships.
Despite the snow limitations, their athletes continue to train on high-altitude mountains, aiming to represent the province effectively in the upcoming Championship.
Veysel Oğlağo, a ski coach at the Directorate of Youth and Sports, highlighted the challenge of low snow levels at the city’s ski center. Despite this, they prepare for the Turkish Championship by taking athletes to snowy mountains.
Oğlağo emphasized the importance of training in snowy conditions for success, mentioning their participation in European and Balkan championships.
He noted Muş’s history of producing Olympic athletes and their team’s past Turkish Championship wins, highlighting their dedication to achieving better results for the children.
Despite the cold weather, they train for at least two hours daily.
Athlete Ali Zafer Kaya, who has been skiing for 2.5 years, expressed excitement about the Turkish Championship, where he aims for first place.