KAYSERI
Turkish modern pentathlete Ilke Ozyuksel Mihrioglu is preparing for her fourth Olympic appearance as she pursues world and Olympic titles, she said during a national team training camp.
The 29-year-old athlete, the first Turkish modern pentathlete to compete at the Olympics, is training at the Erciyes High Altitude Camp Center in the central province of Kayseri.
Ozyuksel said she had represented Türkiye in international competitions since the age of nine.
“I have competed at three Olympic Games, and I am preparing for my fourth,” she said.
“I finished fifth and sixth at the Olympics. Now, we have started working for the top of the podium.”
Ozyuksel made history by representing Türkiye at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
She finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics with 1,402 points, Türkiye’s best Olympic result in modern pentathlon at the time, before placing sixth at the Paris Games.
In 2026, she scored 1,459 points to win the Modern Pentathlon World Cup, becoming the first Turkish woman to claim gold in the competition.
She also won titles at the 2018 European Junior Modern Pentathlon Championships and the 2026 European Modern Pentathlon Championships.
According to the International Modern Pentathlon Union, Ozyuksel has broken the world record several times in Laser Run, which combines running and shooting.
She said her immediate targets were the European Games in Istanbul and the World Championships, where she hopes to secure qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“I have achieved most of my goals. I have two left: becoming world champion and Olympic champion. I hope to accomplish both over the next two years,” she said.
Ozyuksel acknowledged the challenges of pursuing success in a sport in which Türkiye previously had few established role models.
“Following a path with few footprints is always as difficult as it is advantageous because we constantly learn through trial and error,” she said.
“We are focused only on working and winning. Nothing can disrupt our concentration right now. We want to reach the top. Our best period is approaching.”
She also encouraged girls and women interested in sports to pursue their passions and remain committed to their goals.
National team coach and Ozyuksel’s coordinator Ahmet Simser described her as an inspiration to younger athletes.
“Ilke has been involved in this sport since she was nine. She is an idol for young athletes and children,” Simser said.
“She is now a star both in Türkiye and around the world.”
