 www.vestelatletizm.com
Vestel Supports Turkish Athletics
“Vestel Supports Turkish Athletics” Social Responsibility Project has been on progress since May 1, 2004 towards the primary objective of “increasing the interest of Turkish youth in athletics.” Project phases are organized based on the Olympics, the peak point of interest shown in athletics in our country and in the world. The first phase of the project has been completed with 2004 Athens Olympics, and the current second phase will be completed with 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Project does not have a predetermined expiration date.
The social responsibility project consists of support projects and integrated sponsorship activities implemented with the purpose of generalizing athletics in Turkiye since athletics is accepted as the reference point for all sports. Activities are implemented under five main groups within the scope of project;
- Individual sponsorships
- Education
- Student athletics activities
- Race sponsorships
- Informatics, Communications
Starting the first athletics projects by sponsoring national athlete Süreyya Ayhan in 2003, Vestel has commenced the “Vestel Supports Turkish Athletics” Social Responsibility Project on May 1, 2004 . Sponsorship activity implemented with Süreyya Ayhan has increased the popularity of athletics in Turkiye , and the subsequent social responsibility project realized many integrated projects for the purpose of evolving the Turkish athletics, which became more and more popular in our country, towards international levels.
As of May 1, 2004, efforts are spread over a wider base and embraced the Turkish athletics at the social responsibility project phase. Our activities are concentrated on developing and reinforcing athletics in every discipline and encouraging the Turkish youth for engaging in sports by putting role models before them.
At the end of the first phase of project, six athletes sponsored by Vestel have been selected to Turkish National Team and represented our country in 2004 Athens Olympics. Eşref Apak won the bronze medal, bringing the first Olympic medal to Turkiye in athletics after 56 years.
17 athletes sponsored by Vestel won a total of 38 medals in international races held in 2004 including 12 gold, 9 silver and 17 bronze medals and broke 20 Turkish records. In 2005, 22 athletes under individual sponsorship of Vestel won 51 medals in international races including 22 gold, 15 silver and 14 bronze medals and broke 54 new Turkish records.
Halil Akkaş, who has been sponsored since the beginning of project, broke the Turkish record twice in 3000 meters steeplechase with a gap as large as 12 seconds in 2005, and won the gold medal in Universiade, silver medal in European U23 Championship, and honored with the nomination as the "athlete of the year". Showing a quick start in 2006, our athlete became the fourth in 1500 meters in World Indoors Championship.
Being the Turkish leader in 3000 meters women steeplechase by far, Türkan Erişmiş completed the year in the 10th rank in the World Ranking determined by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and became the second best Turkish athlete after Eşref Apak by the end of 2005. Türkan won silver medal in European U23 Championship and bronze medal in Universiade.
Born in 1986, Tuncay Örs has completed the 2005 race season as the third best 400 meters hurdles athlete in Europe and ninth in the World. Just in May, he became the first hurdles athlete that run under 52 seconds in the history of Turkish athletics, and broke the youth and adult Turkish records once again with 50.89 in the semi finals of the Mediterranean Games as a member of the national team.
Selahattin Çobanoğlu, who represented our country in 2004 Athens Olympics, could not manage to develop his own record in 800 meters in 2005 but won a silver medal in the Universiade. Selahattin completed the 2005 season without defeat like many other athletes sponsored by Vestel.
Having broken the youth Turkish record in 100 meters hurdles in 2005, Nevin Yanıt is currently having her best season of her career in with the sponsorship of Vestel. Nevin is the first 100 meters hurdles athlete that run under 13 seconds in the history of Turkish athletics, and has become the top five 100 meters hurdles athlete of Europe as of June with a Turkish record of 12.90 so far in this season.
Within the scope of “Vestel Supports Turkish Athletics” Social Responsibility Project, Vestel also organized visual meetings in primary schools to promote and endear athletics, and seminars in the gymnastics schools and sports colleges of universities on the damages of doping. In 2005, leading figures of Turkish athletics were gathered in a panel under a cooperation with Turkish Sports Writers’ Association Ankara Branch 
Vestel supported Turkish inter-universities track and cross-country races in 2004 under a cooperation with Turkish Federation of University Sports. Furthermore, many national and international races held in our country were sponsored. Vestel provided a wide international participation in Cezmi Or Cup, Ömer Besim Cross-Country Race and Grand Atatürk Race being the long-established competitions in our country.
Vestel undertook the publishing of athletics statistics book and university sports book within the scope of project and distributed to sports clubs, Provincial Youth and Sports Directorates, press members, universities and libraries. Vestel Athletics Website “www.vestelatletizm.com” that became online just before 2004 Athens Olympics featured current and educative news from Turkiye and the world. The website has posted more than 1500 news as of the end of 2005 and became a resource for the sports press.
As a result of all these activities, both the media’s and public’s interest in athletics have shown an obvious increase and many youngsters started to involve in athletics on an amateur or professional basis.
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