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May 24, 2025 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations
The GTU Sports Summit 2025, held in the White Hall of the Gebze Technical University (GTU) Congress and Cultural Center, brings together the unifying power of sports and inspiring athletes. The summit serves as a significant platform where experiences from various fields of sports, success stories, and guiding insights from prominent figures are shared with the youth.
The opening ceremony was attended by GTU Vice-Rector Prof. Elif Damla Arısan, Gebze District Sports Director Hikmet Tatoğlu, Gebze District Health Director Dr. İlhan Kadıoğlu, Kocaelispor Club President Recep Durul, Gebzespor Club President Yusuf İzzettin Öztürk, Former FIFA Referee Mete Kalkavan, Tokyo Olympics Karate Silver Medalist Eray Şamdan, National Karate Coach Adnan Şamdan, GTU Student Societies Coordinator Prof. Fatma Yüksel, Adidas Runners Captain Onur Şenkardeşler, National Wave Surfing Athlete Yasin Pehlivan, National Volleyball Player Ersin Durgut, Gebze Municipality Sports Club Head Coach Fikret Ayan, as well as athletes Nazlıcan İnci and Bengisu Erçetin, GTU administrators, and students.
Following the moment of silence and the National Anthem, GTU Vice-Rector Prof. Elif Damla Arısan and Student Societies Coordinator Prof. Fatma Yüksel delivered the opening speeches.
The summit continued throughout the day with a rich schedule. The first panel titled “Management, Vision and Youth in Football” featured insights from Kocaelispor Club President Recep Durul, Gebzespor Club President Yusuf İzzettin Öztürk, and Former FIFA Referee Mete Kalkavan. Football Awards were presented at the end of the session.
In the panel titled “The Spirit of the Olympics,” Tokyo 2020 Karate Silver Medalist Eray Şamdan and National Karate Coach Adnan Şamdan shared their Olympic experiences. This was followed by the presentation of Chess and Table Tennis Awards.
In the afternoon, the theme “Team Spirit” took center stage, with world top-40 ranked badminton players Nazlıcan İnci and Bengisu Erçetin discussing team dynamics in badminton. Badminton and Tennis Awards were presented at the end of the session.
The panel “Road to the Top: Leadership and Strategy in Volleyball” featured National Volleyball Player Ersin Durgut and Gebze Municipality Sports Club Head Coach Fikret Ayan, who emphasized the importance of leadership and strategy in volleyball. Volleyball and Basketball Awards followed the panel.
The final session of the summit, “Power in Nature, Resilience in Mind,” brought together Adidas Runners Captain Onur Şenkardeşler and National Wave Surfing Athlete Yasin Pehlivan, who shared valuable insights on outdoor sports and mental resilience. The session was concluded with the distribution of Athletics and Arm Wrestling Awards.
GTU Sports Summit 2025 aimed to boost students' interest in sports and inspire them by bringing together remarkable figures from diverse disciplines, sharing their stories and experiences to shed light on the path of the youth.
In addition to GTU students, participants also included students from Ertuğrul Kurdoğlu Anatolian High School, STFA Vocational High School, and Gebze Anatolian High School.
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