Over
2,400 swimmers from
52 countries came together yesterday in Istanbul for the Turkish Olympic
Committee’s (TOC) 30th Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming
Race.
Turkey’s
Hilal Zeybeb Saraç finished first in the women’s event whilst
Doğukan Ulaç, also from Turkey, was the fastest man to complete the
course in what was an outstanding Bosphorus race.
The
Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race, the only race
between two continents, started in Kanlıca, on the Asian side of
Istanbul, and ended in Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park on the European
side.
Thousands
of sports fans followed the thrilling competition, where amateur and
competitive swimmers together took part in one of the sport’s most
demanding and challenging events.
On
completing the 6.5km course, the fastest swimmers were awarded
plaques, medals and exclusive Samsung products.
The
winning athletes received their awards from Turkey’s Youth and
Sports Minister Dr. Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu, Istanbul Governor
Vasip Sahin, Istanbul Mayor Mevlüt Uysal, IOC Vice President and TOC
President Prof. Dr. Uğur Erdener and Samsung Electronics Turkey
President Kim Daehyun.
Olympic
champion, world record-holder and Senior Vice President of the
International Athletics Associations Federation Sergey Bubka, and
legendary Zimbabwean Olympic swimming champion and IOC Athletes’
Commission Chair Kirsty Coventry, were amongst honorary guests
attending the 30th anniversary of the Bosphorus Cross-Continental
Swimming Race.
The
event was held for the first time on July 23, 1989 and 64 men and 4
women took
extending the distance to 6.5 km (4.0 mi). In 1992, the
event became international
The course record was set in 2006 by
Turkish swimmers Alişan Alaşlı in the men's
category with 39:07.11
and Beren Kayrak in the women's category with 40:50.35.
Since 2010,
every swimmer completing the course receives a certificate titled
"Intercontinental Swimmer".
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