In Paris, Kuzey Tunçelli made history as the first Turkish athlete to swim in an Olympic final. When he was honored with the Mustafa V. Koç Sports Award, we traveled to İzmit to tell his story. After meeting Kuzey, we didn’t just become fans—we witnessed the rise of a legend up close.
Kuzey’s swimming journey began at the age of 8 at the Yıldızlar Swimming Club in İzmit, Kocaeli. He first drew national attention in 2021 when he shattered the Turkish record by 25 seconds in a single race. That moment made it clear: this was an athlete with Olympic medal potential.
His coach, Aykut Çelik—who has been with him since the very beginning—describes what sets Kuzey apart: “Kuzey’s buoyancy is incredible. It’s like he’s floating on water, like a feather!” Performance physician Akın Torun adds: “Kuzey has a truly unique physiology. He can drastically lower his heart rate mid-race—almost to zero. So in a 1,500-meter event, he can surge ahead after 1,000 meters as if he just dove in.”
Starting his athletic career with Yıldızlar Swimming Club and joining Fenerbahçe as a licensed athlete in 2022, Kuzey learned to overcome challenges and achieve greatness despite limited resources—just like many top athletes. Growing up, he trained beneath a banner reading “Never quit!” which helped instill Olympic values of perseverance and sportsmanship alongside his technical mastery. The result: an unshakable, world-class athlete.
Today, Kuzey holds the world record in the 1,500 meters—both short and long course—and the world is watching, expecting a medal at the next Olympics.
It’s safe to say: a legend is in the making.
