In a plaque ceremony held at Gloria Sports Arena under the host of Elif Özdemir, Member of the Board of Directors of Özaltın Holding and CEO of Gloria Sports Arena, attendees included Yavuz Gürhan, Antalya Youth and Sports Provincial Director, Prof. Dr. Uğur Erdener, President of the Turkish National Olympic Committee, Abdullah Topaloğlu, President of the Turkish Archery Federation, as well as world and Olympic champion Mete Gazoz and world and European swimming champion Ben Proud.
Elif Özdemir, Member of the Board of Directors of Özaltın Holding and CEO of Gloria Sports Arena, said, "We are proud to become an 'Olympic Training Center.' With this competence, we have strengthened our facility, which serves in more than 50 branches under the roof of Gloria Sports Arena. We will be delighted to host champion athletes from all over the world, especially our national athletes, less than a year before Paris 2024. The approval of the opportunities we offer to athletes by the Turkish National Olympic Committee is very valuable to us. In this process, we will continue to be the best training and performance center in our country for all federations and elite athletes who will prepare for international championships as an Olympic Training Center. Therefore, I would like to thank the Turkish National Olympic Committee, especially Prof. Dr. Uğur Erdener."
Özdemir emphasized that they will further increase their contacts with international athletes and teams, aiming to become a world-class center.
Yavuz Gürhan, Antalya Youth and Sports Provincial Director, stated that it is exciting for this special destination to host Olympic teams, and they take pride in the presence of such a facility with such high standards in Antalya. He also expressed their happiness in supporting and preparing Olympic teams and assured that they will continue to send successful teams to the Olympics.
Pointing out that the vision of Nuri Özaltın, the founder of Özaltın Holding and Gloria Hotels & Resorts, lies at the core of the facility, Prof. Dr. Uğur Erdener, President of the Turkish National Olympic Committee, said, "The late Nuri Özaltın entrusted the future of Gloria Sports Arena to Elif Özdemir. Elif Özdemir is advancing this legacy in the best way. Gloria Sports Arena is among the top 2-3 facilities in the world among existing Olympic preparation centers. This facility, which meets all the needs of an athlete, is a unique facility not only for Turkish athletes but also for foreign athletes. Accreditation by the Turkish National Olympic Committee (TNOC) will bring prestige to this facility. This facility, which has high standards, undoubtedly comes with a cost, but it is worth it for the success of athletes. I believe that Gloria Sports Arena will be further developed in the coming period and will become even better."
Abdullah Topaloğlu, President of the Turkish Archery Federation, said, "Gloria Sports Arena, which hosts our camps, plays a significant role in the success of our athletes. I am confident that this facility, in cooperation with the Turkish National Olympic Committee, will make significant contributions to Turkish sports in the coming period."
Mete Gazoz, a world and Olympic champion who has been training at Gloria Sports Arena for many years, said, "I see Gloria Sports Arena as my own home; I've been here for many years, and I love it here. Anything an athlete wants is more than available. We have no distractions in the training environment; we only focus on our work. When we tell foreign athletes about this place, they look at it with envy. It is gratifying to be in such a facility."
British swimmer Benjamin Proud, who has been training at Gloria Sports Arena for 7 years, said, "I am very happy to be in this center. Gloria Sports Arena has played a significant role in the three championships I won in the past years. The facilities and the high quality of service provided by Gloria Sports Arena help us a lot. It is also gratifying to witness the progress of the facility over the past 7 years. The accreditation of this place as an Olympic facility by the Turkish National Olympic Committee (TNOC) is very valuable."
