Winners Honored at the Spring Sports Tournament

May 18, 2026 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations
 

— The 2026 Spring Sports Tournament, held between April 13 and May 15, concluded with an award ceremony at GTU’s sports-friendly campus.

— A total of 1,070 students and staff members participated in the tournament competing fiercely in 10 different branches within the spirit of fair play and strengthening the sense of unity across campus.

— Trophies and medals were presented to successful athletes and teams across a wide range of categories, from football and chess to marathon races and arm wrestling.

The excitement that had filled the sports-friendly campus for weeks culminated with the completion of the Spring Sports Tournament and the presentation of awards to the winners.

Organized by the Directorate of Health, Culture and Sports of Gebze Technical University (GTU) between April 13 and May 15, 2026, the traditional Spring Sports Tournament once again created a vibrant atmosphere on campus this year. The tournament, organized to contribute to the physical and mental development of students and to strengthen the sense of unity and belonging within the university, successfully achieved its goals of increasing social interaction, promoting sports culture, and fostering a competitive environment based on fair play. Supporting its vision of scientific research with high-quality social and athletic opportunities, Gebze Technical University further reinforced its identity as a sports-friendly campus through this tournament.

This year, 1,070 students and staff members competed intensely in 10 different branches ranging from football and chess to marathons and arm wrestling. The opening kick-off for the football and volleyball finals was performed by GTU Rector Prof. Hacı Ali Mantar, while the awards were presented by GTU Vice-Rectors Prof. Elif Damla Arısan and Prof. Hasari Çelebi, together with academics and administrators. The award ceremony was held at the GTU festival area.

List of Successful Competitors and Teams

Following highly competitive matches throughout the tournament schedule, the champions and top-ranking participants in each branch were determined.

In team sports, Last Dance claimed the football championship, while Muallim FC finished second and Hermes FC placed third. In volleyball, marked by highly competitive matches, Arananadamlar became the tournament champion, followed by Kampüsün Sultanları in second place and Veroni Team in third. In basketball, Zıbabs won the championship title, GTU Flex finished second, and Kınıklar placed third.

In the arm wrestling competitions, where athletes demonstrated their strength and technique, Abdulsamet Kasumav won the Heavyweight category, followed by Mahir Güler in second place and Hasan Bahçeci in third. In the Lightweight category, Muhammed Kartal became champion, while Şaban Yiğit and Ömer Efe Yenigün completed the tournament in second and third place respectively.

Medals were also awarded in racket sports and mind games where speed, coordination, and strategy came to the forefront. In badminton, Yusuf Eren Nalbant won the championship, with İsa Deniz Kılıç finishing second and Mervan Deniz Yıldırım third. In table tennis, Deniz Coşan claimed first place, followed by Seçkin Saygılı and Kerim Zahid Örgül. In foot tennis, Gediz Gücü lifted the championship trophy, while After Burner finished second and Çevre United third. In court tennis, Ensar Türkoğlu celebrated the championship title, followed by Cihat Şahin and Ela Gökakın. In chess, where strategic thinking took center stage, Yasin Şale became champion, while Mert Efe Güler and Emrah Bedirhan Cingöz earned second and third place respectively.

In athletics competitions testing endurance limits, Vildan Tuğyanoğlu won the Women’s 3 km Marathon category, while Elif Sena Polat finished second and Meryem Sude Yaşar third. In the Men’s 5 km Marathon category, Mohamed Elbashir won the championship trophy, followed by Mehmet Mert Koyuer in second place and Berk Kuseyri in third.

The competitions involving university staff also combined competition and camaraderie. In the Staff Court Tennis category, Ayşen Orhan Erkovan became champion, while Burcu Dedeoğlu finished second and Elif Büşra Çelebi third. In Staff Football, the GTU Birlik team claimed the championship title, while the Security Team finished second and the Directorate of Health, Culture and Sports Team third.

In addition to its modern education and research activities, Gebze Technical University continues to strengthen its institutional development and provide a high-quality social environment for all stakeholders through events that support a sports-friendly campus culture.