Breaking swimming records in the youth and stars category at the Republic Cup, Near East College students having Dr. Suat Günsel Scholarship will represent the TRNC in the tournaments in Turkey in December.

Continuing their educations at Near East College with Dr. Suat Günsel Scholarship, Akman Tüzünkan, Erten Kasımoğlu and Deniz Bender and Barkan Cem Aykut achieved successful results by breaking many records, some of which could not be broken for many years, in the Stars and Youth categories of the Republic Cup Swimming Championship.

The young stars of the Near East College, who passed Turkey’s elimination races in their age category with their performances and gained the right to participate in the races of the Turkish Swimming Federation, will represent the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the races to be held in Turkey in December. Near East College 8th-year students Barkan Cem Aykut and Deniz Bender will compete in the Turkey Arena Short Course Swimming Championship to be held in Istanbul between 2-4 December by the Turkish Swimming Federation. On the other hand, 6th-year students Akman Tüzünkan and Erten Kasımoğlu will represent the TRNC in the Turkish Swimming Federation 11-year-old National Development League Turkey Final Competition on December 9-11.

Record holders are on their way to Turkey!
Near East College students, who will represent our country in the races to be held in Turkey, broke records, some of which have not been broken for years, in the youth and stars categories at the Republic Cup. A 6th-year student at Near East College continuing his education with the Dr. Suat Günsel Scholarship, 11-year-old Akman Tüzünkan made a score of 2.51.82 in the 200-meter backstroke category in the Republic Cup; 1.19.77 in the 100m backstroke category and broke 4 Northern Cyprus records in his age group with a time of 31.68 in the 50-meter freestyle category and 34.88 in the 50-meter backstroke category. Among the records Akman Tüzünkan broke, the 50-meter backstroke record has been waiting to be broken since 2014, the 50-meter freestyle record since 2018, the 100-meter backstroke record since 2017, and the 200-meter backstroke record since 2020.

Again, Erten Kasımoğlu, one of the students of Near East College, who was granted to continue his education with the Dr. Suat Günsel Scholarship, became the top swimmer with a time of 2.41.34 in the 200 meters freestyle category; in the 400 meters freestyle category in the 11-year old age group in the Republic Cup with a time of 5.48.91. He also took the second place on the podium in the 50 and 100 meters freestyle categories.

Deniz Bender, who holds the 13-year-old Northern Cyprus record in the male’s 100 and 200 meters butterfly and 200 meters mixed category, will represent the TRNC in the races in Turkey. In the Republic Cup; Barkan Cem Aykut, who broke the Northern Cyprus records in each of the categories of 50 meters breaststroke with 32.81, 100 meters breaststroke with a time of 1.12.38, and 200 meters breaststroke with a time of 2.42.66, will be one of our ambitious athletes to race in Turkey. Among the records Barkan Cem Aykut broke in the Republic Cup, the 50-meter breaststroke record has not been broken since 2008, the 100-meter breaststroke record has not been broken since 2005 and the 200-meter breaststroke record has not been broken since 2003. 13-year-old Barkan Cem Aykut also broke the Northern Cyprus records belonging to an upper age group with his performance.

The young record holders, who will represent the TRNC in the races organized by the Turkish Swimming Federation in the first half of December, continue their trainings under the coaching of Avni Cankurt, one of the trainers of the Near East University Olympic Swimming Pool.

Ömer Özkan, Director of Near East Secondary School: “While applying an education model that will maximize the academic success of our students, we always continue to be there for them to discover themselves in cultural, sportive and social fields.”
Noting that the Near East College students broke many Northern Cyprus records in their categories in the Republic Cup, Near East Secondary School Director Ömer Özkan said that the Near East College students will represent our country in the tournaments to be organized in Turkey by the Turkish Swimming Federation in December.

Emphasizing that as Near East College, they support their students in sports and arts as well as academic success, Özkan said, “As Near East College, we implement an education model that will maximize the academic success of our students, and we continue to support them with all our means so that they can discover themselves in cultural, sportive and social areas.” Ömer Özkan said, “With their academic performances, our students who are entitled to Dr. Suat Günsel Scholarship, are continuing their education with 100% scholarship opportunities provided for their studies, and they also learn to manage their own budgets with the pocket money they receive every month. On the other hand, we continue to stand by them with all our means so that they can also develop themselves in sports, cultural and social aspects. I wish our students every success and promise to support their achievements in every way possible. We believe in you, we believe in your success, we are honored with you, no matter whatever achievements you make in the races, we will be honored.”