Turkey win gold medal in Euro athletics relay

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish athletes won gold on Sunday in the European Athletics U20 Championships men's relay final in Sweden.

Oguzhan Kaya, Kubilay Encu, Berke Akcam and Ilyas Canakci won the 4x400 meters final in Boras 2019, beating Czech Republic and Spain.

Canakci, 17, who was last given the flag, managed to overtake his French, Italian, Czech and Spanish opponents with a last ditch effort to bring the gold medal for Turkey.

Turkey won by three minutes, eight seconds and 34 split seconds.

Czech Republic bagged a silver medal as they were only 16 split seconds behind Turkey.

Spain returned home with bronze, finishing Sunday's race in three minutes, eight seconds and 66 split seconds.

In addition to the gold medal, Turkey set a new record in the 2019 season.

Turkish male and female athletes won 10 medals in the European Athletics U20 Championships including three gold medals.

Turkish gold medalists in Boras 2019 were Meryem Bekmez (10,000 meter Race Walk Women), Murat Yalcinkaya (3,000 meter Steeplechase Men) and Turkey 4x400 meter Relay Men team.

In the medals standings, Turkey were in the 5th spot, overtaking many European athletics powerhouses such as Germany, Spain, host nation Sweden, France and Poland.

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team won 15 medals including six gold.