Ahmet Arslan (athlete)

Ahmet Arslan (born 1986 in Gazipaşa, Antalya) is a long-distance runner from Turkey competing in mountain running. He is a six time successive champion of European Mountain Running Championships.

For the footballer, see Ahmet Arslan (footballer).
Ahmet Arslan
Personal information
NationalityTurkish
Born1986 (age 36–37)
Gazipaşa, Antalya, Turkey
Sport
CountryTurquie
SportMountain running
Coached byMetin Sazak
Medal record
Mountain Running
Representing  Turkey
World Grand Prix
Gold medal – first place2010 Šmarna gora Senior
World Championships
Silver medal – second place2011 Tirana Senior
World Trophy
Bronze medal – third place2008 Sierre Senior
European Championships
Bronze medal – third place2013 Borovets Senior
Gold medal – first place2012 Denizli Senior
Gold medal – first place2011 Bursa Senior
Gold medal – first place2010 Sapareva Banya Senior
Gold medal – first place2009 Telfes im Stubai Senior
Gold medal – first place 2008 Zell am Harmersbach Senior
Gold medal – first place2007 Cauterets Senior

Biography

He was born in 1986[1] to a farmer's family in Gazipaşa of Antalya Province in southern Turkey. Ahmet Arslan has seven siblings. He completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown. After the high school, he attended Adnan Menderes University in Aydın and graduated 2009 with a degree in physical education and sports.[2]

Ahmet Arslan started with athletics in 2000 at the high school. He had to discontinue sports in 2004 for one year. After 2005, he begin intensive running training, especially after meeting his coach Metin Sazak, a former athlete. He switched to mountain running from cross-country running. That year, he took part in the national mountain running championships and became successful although he competed in the seniors category despite his young age. Admitted to the national team, he participated at his first international events like the European Mountain Championships and the World Mountain Running Trophy and gained international experience.[2]

From 2007 on, Ahmet Arslan won the European championships six times in a row.[3] In 2010, he won the gold medal also at the WMRA Grand Prix.[4][5] He was the silver medallist at the 2011 World Mountain Running Championships, coming second behind American Max King.[6] In the absence of the American, he won the continental title at the 2011 European Mountain Running Championships held in Turkey. He won that year's WMRA Grand Prix series. He began 2012 with a win at the Montée du Grand Ballon race.[7] He has won the Red Bull 400 meter twice in a row.

Since mountain running sport is not recognized as an Olympic sports branch, he is complaining about not finding a sponsor for his active sports career.[2]

Achievements
Year Event Host Rank
Junior men's
2005 21st World Mountain Running Trophy  New Zealand, Wellington 4th[8]
Senior men's
2007 6th European Championships  France, Cauterets  Gold
2008 7th European Championships  Germany, Zell am Harmersbach  Gold
24th World Mountain Running Trophy   Switzerland, Sierre  Bronze[9]
2009 8th European Championships  Austria, Telfes im Stubai  Gold
2010 9th European Championships  Bulgaria, Sapareva Banya  Gold[10]
WMRA Grand Prix  Slovenia, Šmarna gora  Gold[5]
26th WMRA World Championships  Slovenia, Kamnik 7th[11]
2011 6th Antalya Marathon  Turkey, Antalya  Gold
10th European Championships  Turkey, Bursa  Gold[4]
27th World Championships  Albania, Tirana  Silver
2012 11th European Championships  Turkey, Denizli  Gold[3]
2013 12th European Championships  Bulgaria, Borovets  Bronze[12]
2014 13th European Championships  France, Hautes-Alpes 8th[13]

Awards

References
  1. "Türkiye Dağ Koşusu Akseki' de koşuldu" (in Turkish). Abdil Ceylan. 2007-08-20. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  2. "Ahmet Arslan" (in Turkish). Federasyonlar. 2010-08-12. Archived from the original on 2010-12-15. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  3. "Arslan reigns supreme again at the European Mountain Running Championships". European Athletics. Archived from the original on 2012-07-14. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
  4. "Turkey's Arslan lays claim to 'greatest' title after 5th straight victory". European Athletics. Archived from the original on 2011-08-24. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  5. "Arslan and Mayr win in Slovenia and take WMRA Grand Prix titles". European Athletics. 2011-07-13. Archived from the original on 2011-08-24.
  6. Hussain, Bashir (2011-09-13). USA double, as eleven nations take medals at the 27th World Mountain Running Championships. IAAF/WMRA. Retrieved on 2011-09-24.
  7. Hobbs, Nancy (2012-05-18). Arslan and Belotti triumph at WMRA kick-off in Willer Sur Thur. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-05-22.
  8. Osmond, David (2005-09-25). "The World Mountain Running Trophy" (PDF). R4YL. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-12. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
  9. "Adverse weather fails to dampen thrilling World Trophy". World Mountain Running Association. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  10. "Turkey's Arslan is Europe's best mountain runner for the fourth time". European Athletics. 2010-07-04. Archived from the original on 2010-07-08. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  11. "Gasgazghi and Mayr take World Mountain Running titles in Kamnik". IAAF. 2010-09-06. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  12. "Wonderful 12. European Mountain Running Champs. 2013 at Borovets (Bulgaria):Italy and Turkey at top!". 6 July 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  13. "Men individual (12.8 km/750 m/62 participants)". Retrieved 17 June 2019.
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