Çakır Alptekin honored as ‘athlete of the year’
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Aslı Çakır Alptekin is Turkey’s first Olympic gold medalist in track and field. AFP photo
Olympic champion Aslı Çakır Alptekin has been voted “athlete of the year” in a poll conducted by Turkishdaily Milliyet.
Çakır Alptekin became the first Turkish athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in a track and field event with her 1,500-meter victory in the 2012 Games in London this summer.
Motorcyclist Kenan Sofuoğlu and Olympic gold medalist taekwondo fighter Servet Tazegül were voted second and third respectively.
The 59th Milliyet Sports Awards were voted for in a popular poll.
Galatasaray’s midfield maestro Selçuk İnan won the “footballer of the year” award, over the likes of former Fenerbahçe ace Alex de Souza and Beşiktaş star Manuel Fernandes.
Galatasaray was also voted the “team of the year,” while its chairman Ünal Aysal won the “sports official” and Fatih Terim the “coach of the year” awards, to complete a near-sweep for the Turkish Super League champions.
The “international athlete of the year” prize went to Barcelona’s Argentinean forward Lionel Messi, who won over Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt and American tennis star Serena Williams.
