Gülderen Çelik


Gülderen Çelik is a Turkish female karateka competing in the kumite –53 kg division. The tall athlete is member of the Sarıyer Belediyespor in Istanbul. Her trainer is Turan Yılmaz.

Personal life

She was born the youngest of five children in the Mecidiyeköy neighborhood of Istanbul. Following her graduation from the high school in 2001, she enrolled in Trakya University to study physical education. Immediately after finishing the university, she was appointed as a teacher in a school in Istanbul, where she serves today.

Sports career

Aged only 12 years, Çelik was inspired by a neighbor's young boy performing karate. In 1992 she started in attending karate lessons given by Bahattin Kandez, a former national karate practitioner. He is still her tutor.
After having been successful at the provincial level, Çelik fought in national tournaments winning titles. At her first international participation in 1999 in Euboea, Greece, she became European bronze medalist in kumite under 53 kg division.
Since then, she has been competing at various international events with success and has been champion several times in her category.

Achievements

Individual

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