Haydar Aşan

Haydar Aşan (16 April 1906 – 29 February 1996) was a Turkish-American Olympic sprinter. He competed in the men's 4 × 100 metres relay at the 1928 Summer Olympics.[1]

Haydar Aşan

Personal information
Nationality	Turkish / American
Born	(1906-04-16)16 April 1906 Istanbul
Died	29 February 1996(1996-02-29) (aged 89) California
Sport
Sport	Sprinting High jump Pole vault Football
Event(s)	4 × 100 metres relay - 1928 Summer Olympics, 1st place Athletics - 1933 Balkan Athletics Championship, 2nd place Athletics - 1931 & 1932 Balkan Athletics Championship
College team	Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, Duke University
Club	Galatasaray

He also competed as a high jumper, pole vaulter, and professional football player. As a teenager he competed in local athletic championships and began amateur boxing. In 1924, at age 18 he joined the professional Fenerbahçe football team, a year later he changed to the Galatasaray football team and stayed there for ten years. In 1931 and 1932, Aşan won second place in the Balkan Athletics Championships.[2] In 1933, he won first place, which was the first time in history Turkey won the gold medal in athletics at the Balkan Athletics Championships.[2] In 1938, he moved to the United States and studied graduate school at Duke University. He played on the school's soccer team and became an American citizen.[2] Haydar married an American veteran nurse and had two daughters.[2]