"Sports Oscar" Awards to be Presented in Northern Cyprus

The Turkish Cypriot Sports Journalists Association (KTSYD) has announced the recipients of the prestigious "Sports Oscar" awards for outstanding sports achievements. The "Athlete of the Year" award will be presented to Buse Savaşkan.

The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday, July 16, at 7:30 PM at the Fikret Ünlü Pool.

For the second consecutive year, the "Athlete of the Year" award will be given to high jumper Buse Savaşkan, who continues her athletic career in Turkey. Recently, she became the first and only Turkish Cypriot athlete to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The "Coach of the Year" award will go to Nazım Aktunç, the football coach of Göçmenköy, who led his team to a successful season and won the Cyprus championship, bringing the first cup in the club’s history.

The "Outstanding Contribution" award will be presented to Harika Kıral, who has significantly contributed to the development of sports in the country as both an athlete and a coach. She was one of the first athletes to compete at the European level and achieve success as a Turkish Cypriot.

The "Referee of the Year" award will be given to football referee Utku Hamamcıoğlu. This year, he officiated 33 matches, including those in the Super League, First League, and Cyprus Cup. He also made history as one of the first referees to work as a VAR referee.

The special "Champion Angels" award this year will be presented to the gymnastics team of Hüseyin Ruso Middle School, the athletics team of Şht. Turgut Middle School, and the handball team of Hala Sultan Theological College. This award is given to educational institutions that have achieved success in school sports in Northern Cyprus and Turkey. It was first awarded last year and is now an annual tradition.

Additionally, special awards will be given to athletes who have made a comeback to major sports after injury or illness.

Among them are marathon runner Kemal Elektrikçi, who suffered a severe injury and disability after being hit by a car while cycling in 2021; swimming coach Erdaş Uçaner, who was in a serious motorcycle accident on April 17, 2022; and footballer Berkem Korbay, who overcame a severe illness.