Musa Alan, a 19-year-old national athlete who won gold at the Trisome Games, the Olympics for athletes with Down syndrome, and the 2023 European Down Syndrome Judo Championship, is tirelessly continuing his efforts to maintain his titles.
Hailing from Mersin’s Yenişehir district, Alan was selected for the national team in 2019 due to his success in regional competitions.
That same year, he clinched the gold medal in the 66 kg. category at the Down Syndrome Turkish Championships held in Ankara.
In 2023, at the Down Syndrome European Judo Championship held in Padova, Italy, the young athlete triumphed once again.
Most recently, he emerged as the champion in the 66 kg. category at the Trisome Games, which were held in Antalya from March 19 to 26.
Alan, determined to defend his titles, continues his training at the Servet Tazegül Sports Hall.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), the Turkish judoka shared that he has been involved in judo for six years, starting after being inspired by social media.
Musa expressed his joy in practicing this sport, saying, “I worked tirelessly. I became the European champion in Italy. I became the champion at the Olympics in Antalya. I was waiting for this moment. It seems luck was on my side. I felt very happy. In the future, I want to continue on this path without losing my championship title to anyone.”
Musa’s coach, Sevgi Fideli, praised Musa’s ambition and talent.
Fideli noted Musa’s disciplined approach to training: “While normal training sessions last for two hours a day, this can extend further close to matches. He sometimes goes for double training sessions a day. Despite having Down syndrome, Musa can train like a normal individual. He never caused us any difficulty; he fulfilled everything we asked of him. We are pleased to work with Musa. His success has made us very happy. I believe he will achieve even greater success. He wins by a significant margin every competition he enters, bringing home the gold medal.”
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