Dilek Koçak
Personal information
NationalityTurkish
Born (2005-08-15) 15 August 2005
Üzengili, Karayazı, Erzurum, Turkey
Sport
SportRunning
Event(s)800 m, 1500 m
ClubFenerbahçe Athletics
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)0800 m: 2:04.35 (2022)
1500 m: 4:14.90 (2022)
Medal record
Representing  Turkey
Women's athletics }
European Athletics U20 Championships
Bronze medal – third place2023 Jerusalem800 m
Gold medal – first place2023 Jerusalem1500 m

Dilek Koçak (born 15 August 2005) is a Turkish middle-distance running athlete, who competes over distances 800  m and 1500 m. She is the European U20 champion in 1500 m.

Sport career

Koçak was discovered as a track athlete by the physical education teacher and athletics coach Cahit Demir, while she was grazing animals at her village Üzengili intown, karayazı, Erzurum, eastern Turkey, a location situated at 1,450 m (4,760 ft) above mean sea level.[1] Demir convinced her father to take her for training at Karayazı town, where he was working.[1] At the age of sixteen, she transferred to Fenerbahçe Athletics in Istanbul.[2][1]

On 15 May 2022 in Mersin, she broke the 15-year-old Turkish women's U18 record in the 800 m event with a time of 2:06.95. Two weeks later, on 29 May in Bursa, she renewed her own record with 2:04.35.[1]

Koçak participated at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia. She competed in the semifinal of the 80 m event, and in the final of the 1500 m event. She set a new Turkish U18 record in the 1500 m with her time of 4:14.90, which is more than five seconds better than the previous record.[3]

At the 2023 European Athletics U20 Championships in Jerusalem, Israel, she won the bronze medal in the 800 m event, and became European U20 champion in the 1500 m event.[2][4]

Personal life

Dilek Koçak was born in Üzengili village of Karayazı district in Erzurum on 15 August 2005.[2][5] After she started in athletics, she was schooled in the Erzurum Sport High School, recommended by her coach Demir.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Köyde hayvan otlatırken keşfedildi, Fenerbahçe'ye transfer oldu, iki rekor kırdı". Diken (in Turkish). 1 June 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "12 yaşında çobanlık yaparken keşfedilmişti: Milli atlet Dile Koçak, Avrupa şampiyonu!". T24 (in Turkish). 9 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  3. ↑ "Dilek Koçak'tan muhteşem rekorlu final!" (in Turkish). Türkiye Atletizm Federasyonu. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  4. ↑ "Dilek Koçak'tan bir madalya daha". NTV Spor (in Turkish). 10 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Dilek Koçak". World Athletics. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
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