Antalya sets tourism record, tops Turkish sports destination
ANTALYA, breaking all-time records with over 15 million tourists in the Republic of Türkiye’s centenary, is also stepping into the forefront of sports tourism.
With its mild winter climate, Antalya is ideal for archery, attracting athletes in this discipline.
The 100th-Year Archery Facilities in the city center host athletes from different countries around the world.
Each year, numerous international archery events are held in the city and foreign athletes prepare for international tournaments in the city’s 5-star hotels.
Hosting a multinational camp attended by 11 countries coordinated by the archery national teams, the city is currently hosting the Kahraman Bagatır Spring Arrows Competition, with 180 athletes from 26 countries participating.
Yusuf Göktuğ Ergin, the archery national teams technical director, told Anadolu Agency
(AA) that Turkish archery has become a brand in the world.
Ergin, noting the fruitful multinational camp before the competition season, said that athletes who cannot practice in their countries due to climatic conditions prefer Antalya as a training center.
Emphasizing the importance of the multinational camp in evaluating the preparation period since October for international competitions, Ergin said, “We held individual and team competitions in this camp. We try to guide the athletes’ performance in the best way possible before international competitions by evaluating the data we have.”
Ergin pointed out that the climate conditions in Antalya are suitable for archery for eight months, saying, “The 100th Year Archery Facilities are right in the center of Antalya and easily accessible. It’s a facility on the radar of the world archery family. Many countries want to camp here with us. The rising success graph of the national team also increases other countries’ appetite to camp with us. Thanks to these camps, hundreds of athletes come to Antalya every year in the winter months.”
Highlighting that they secured an Olympic quota as a men’s team, Ergin emphasized that national athletes are the biggest candidates for medals in all the competitions they will participate in with their current performances.
Ergin also stated that the women’s team is also competing for an Olympic quota, saying, “Our female athletes will strive to secure an Olympic quota at the European Championships in Germany in early May and at the event in Antalya in the second week of June. We participated as a team in the women’s final in 2000. We have a talented young squad. Our primary goal is to secure an Olympic quota and achieve a first by winning a medal as a team in women’s.”