Bowman consults Turkish swimming

Exciting news for fellow swimming fans from Turkey. The Turkish swimming federation has signed a three and a half year agreement with TSE consulting, and specifically Michael Phelps’ former coach Bob Bowman, to lead their National swimming federation from grassroots to elite level. TSE noted that Bob would be "assisted by a team of experts in the areas of biomechanics, physiology, coaching, and others that have worked with Bob in the past. This will be coupled with an important component of sports development that will see young people throughout Turkey getting more involved in swimming”.

At the signing ceremony in Istanbul, Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports, Suat Kilic, said: “Turkey, developing in every field, also witnesses historical achievements in sports. Moreover, still greater achievements can be realized raising elite athletes of every age group and providing them with world class facilities”. Bowman said: “It is very exciting for me to be involved in such an important project whereby Turkey will uncover its huge potential in swimming. I sincerely hope that this project sets an example for others”.

Turkey sent six swimmers to the 2012 Olympics Games and have some very good talent at the elite level. That includes Derya Buyukuncu (36 y.o.) who has competed in the last six Olympic Games consecutively but he’s at the end of his career. Another quality swimmer is Burcu Dolunay who almost reached the semifinals (22^nd) in the 100 m free at the Olympics, but at 29 years old she is probably coming toward the end of her career too. Another possible candidate for this group is Kemal Arda Gurdal (23 y.o.) who was 27^th at the Olympics in the 100 m free. The main focus of Bob Bowman and his team will be to develop the elite junior swimmers form Turkey, and they should start with two great young swimmers, Hazal Sankaya and Eliz Yildiremer.

Sankaya did not have a great meet in the 2012 Olympics Games, but a year earlier (2011) she broke two national records in the long course 100 m back (1:02.58) and 200 m back (2:15.40). Yildiremer won the European Junior Championship in the 800 m free in both 2010 and 2011.

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