Staying at the top by relying on mentality
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Jane Tuna
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 08, 2009 00:00
Despite seeing his legs atrophied after contracting Polio at tha age of 4, Yavuz Şap hasn’t given up on anything. He has been an athlete since he saw Mehmet Terzi’s 1984 victory in the Frankfurt marathon on TV. Following that he began training to run a marathon
Yavuz Şap has defined his goal as showing that a physical handicap is not the end of everything.
When he isn’t relaxing or working for the Fethiye community, particularly in the area of sport, he is training for marathons. But Şap does not run in the conventional sense. He uses crutches.
Born in 1961 to a Bursa farming family, the second of five children, Şap’s legs were atrophied as a result of contracting polio when he was 4 years old. Since he married his wife, Meral, in 1996, they have lived in Fethiye in the Aegean region where they share a house together with his mother-in-law. They all get along Ğ Şap laughs as he says it’s like having "one hand in olive oil, the other in honey."
Şap’s strong and muscular upper body compensates for his legs. At the age of 15 he started body building exercises to help overcome his mobility problems. "I have a strong sense of my identity," He said. "I am happy with who I am and don’t spend time wondering what else might have been, although I accept that it would have been very different."
He has been an athlete since he saw Mehmet Terzi’s 1984 victory in the Frankfurt marathon on TV. Following that life changing moment he contacted Osman Atakan Tekin, former director of the Golden Horn Half Marathon and began training with him. The following year he ran his first 10K competition Ğ the Istanbul Eurasia Marathon.
"This was the beginning of a new life for me. With the help of the Swiss Consulate I attended a series of sports education courses in Switzerland." Şap deserves to be proud of his achievements. In 1990 his international athletic career was launched with the support of Tekin and the Association of International and Distance Races, or AIMS, with the Vienna Marathon, where he ran 15 kilometers.
He has since competed in 45 races in Turkey and 46 abroad in 20 countries. In 1991 and 1994 he was voted sportsman of the year in Bursa. The living room wall of his house in Fethiye is decorated with a colorful array of medals and souvenirs from many of the countries he has visited, including Russia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Indonesia, Mongolia and Puerto Rico.
"Turkish society has a lot to learn about how individuals can learn to live independently with disability. There is little or no empathy from politicians, those who plan our towns or design our buildings. I see myself as not only an athlete who has run marathons on five continents but also an ambassador for sport and peace," he said. Şap is proud of his achievements and has used his travel to raise the profile of Turkey and disabled athletes, and to observe how other countries tackle the issues of disability.
Şap competes against himself. His finishing times should not be compared with other athletes. His tenacity helped him achieve a personal best in the 1995 New York Marathon of 7 hours, 53 minutes and 9 seconds. Many able-bodied athletes would be hard pressed to run the 42.195 kilometers in that time.
He is planning to compete in the Vienna Marathon this year, which takes place in the third week of May. In the meantime he is training and helping the Fethiye Municipality with their sports program.
A venture that will give Şap another dimension to his mobility is his quest for sponsorship to enable him to purchase a streamline racing wheel chair. This will provide new opportunities for him to compete in international races and increase his profile as a Turkish athlete. Turkey should be proud of this determined and tenacious sportsman.
Şapz said he took strength from his affliction and added, "I would not have changed my life and the many adventures I have had for anything. Without polio I would not be Yavuz Şap."
When he isn’t relaxing or working for the Fethiye community, particularly in the area of sport, he is training for marathons. But Şap does not run in the conventional sense. He uses crutches.
Born in 1961 to a Bursa farming family, the second of five children, Şap’s legs were atrophied as a result of contracting polio when he was 4 years old. Since he married his wife, Meral, in 1996, they have lived in Fethiye in the Aegean region where they share a house together with his mother-in-law. They all get along Ğ Şap laughs as he says it’s like having "one hand in olive oil, the other in honey."
Şap’s strong and muscular upper body compensates for his legs. At the age of 15 he started body building exercises to help overcome his mobility problems. "I have a strong sense of my identity," He said. "I am happy with who I am and don’t spend time wondering what else might have been, although I accept that it would have been very different."
He has been an athlete since he saw Mehmet Terzi’s 1984 victory in the Frankfurt marathon on TV. Following that life changing moment he contacted Osman Atakan Tekin, former director of the Golden Horn Half Marathon and began training with him. The following year he ran his first 10K competition Ğ the Istanbul Eurasia Marathon.
"This was the beginning of a new life for me. With the help of the Swiss Consulate I attended a series of sports education courses in Switzerland." Şap deserves to be proud of his achievements. In 1990 his international athletic career was launched with the support of Tekin and the Association of International and Distance Races, or AIMS, with the Vienna Marathon, where he ran 15 kilometers.
He has since competed in 45 races in Turkey and 46 abroad in 20 countries. In 1991 and 1994 he was voted sportsman of the year in Bursa. The living room wall of his house in Fethiye is decorated with a colorful array of medals and souvenirs from many of the countries he has visited, including Russia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Indonesia, Mongolia and Puerto Rico.
"Turkish society has a lot to learn about how individuals can learn to live independently with disability. There is little or no empathy from politicians, those who plan our towns or design our buildings. I see myself as not only an athlete who has run marathons on five continents but also an ambassador for sport and peace," he said. Şap is proud of his achievements and has used his travel to raise the profile of Turkey and disabled athletes, and to observe how other countries tackle the issues of disability.
Şap competes against himself. His finishing times should not be compared with other athletes. His tenacity helped him achieve a personal best in the 1995 New York Marathon of 7 hours, 53 minutes and 9 seconds. Many able-bodied athletes would be hard pressed to run the 42.195 kilometers in that time.
He is planning to compete in the Vienna Marathon this year, which takes place in the third week of May. In the meantime he is training and helping the Fethiye Municipality with their sports program.
A venture that will give Şap another dimension to his mobility is his quest for sponsorship to enable him to purchase a streamline racing wheel chair. This will provide new opportunities for him to compete in international races and increase his profile as a Turkish athlete. Turkey should be proud of this determined and tenacious sportsman.
Şapz said he took strength from his affliction and added, "I would not have changed my life and the many adventures I have had for anything. Without polio I would not be Yavuz Şap."