Gizem Girişmen
Turkish Paralympic archer and world number one in recurve W1/W2.
E4024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gizem Girişmen, born 25 November 1981, is a Turkish Paralympic archer in the women's recurve ARW2 category. At age eleven, a traffic accident in 1992 left her paralyzed. She graduated with honors in Business Administration from Bilkent University in 2004. That same year, an invitation to an archery competition sparked her interest, and she began practicing in her apartment building’s basement garage with neighbors’ permission.
Her first international tournament was the 2006 EPC Archery European Championships in the Czech Republic, where she took third place in the ARW2 Recurve Female category after two years of national competition. In 2007, she won first place (FITA Round) at the IPC Archery World Championships in Cheongju, South Korea, and also topped the Czech Republic International Archery Tournament. She placed second at the 2008 European Disabled Archery Grand Prix in the United Kingdom.
At the 2008 Summer Paralympics, competing in the individual recurve W1/W2 event, she defeated China’s Fu Hongzhi to win the gold medal. She confirmed her world champion status in August 2009 by winning gold at the Para-Archery World Championships in Nymburk, Czech Republic. She has held the world number one ranking for Women’s Ind. Recurve-W1/W2 since 2007. Girişmen was the first Turkish athlete nominated for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year award.
She holds Turkish records for 30, 50, 60, and 70 meters, the FITA round, the 70-meter round, and the Olymp R Match in the ARW2 female category. At the 2012 Summer Paralympics, she lost to her Iranian opponent in the quarterfinals of the women’s individual recurve W1/W2 event. She also competed on the Turkish women’s team, which placed fifth after losing to Italy in the quarterfinals.
Girişmen was a torch bearer for the 2008 Summer Paralympics, named Athlete of the Month by the IPC in August 2009, and served as Turkey’s flag bearer at the 2012 Summer Paralympics.
Quick Facts
- Nationality
- Turkish
- Birth Date
- 1981-11-25
- Birth Place
- Ankara, Turkey
- Country
- Turkey
- Sport
- Paralympic archery
- Event
- Women's recurve ARW2
- Club
- Ankara Okçuluk İhtisas Spor Kulübü
- Coach
- Gülüşen Güler Balcı
- Paralympics
- 2008
- Medal Templates
- Women's archery · Paralympic Games / 2008 Beijing · Individual recurve W1/W2
- Updated
- 8 September 2012
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Gizem Girişmen was born on 25 November 1981. In 1992, at age eleven, she was paralyzed following a traffic accident. She completed her education with honors in Business Administration from Bilkent University in 2004. That same year, she was invited to an archery competition, became interested, and decided to practice the sport. She trained in the basement garage of her apartment building with the permission of the neighbors.
After two years of practice and national tournament experience, she placed third in the ARW2 Recurve Female event at the 2006 EPC Archery European Championships in the Czech Republic, her first international tournament. In 2007, she won first place in the FITA Round at the IPC Archery World Championships in Cheongju, South Korea, and also won the Czech Republic International Archery Tournament. In 2008, she placed second in the European Disabled Archery Grand Prix in the United Kingdom.
She represented Turkey at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in the individual recurve W1/W2 category, winning the gold medal by defeating her Chinese rival Fu Hongzhi. In August 2009, she confirmed her World Champion status by winning gold at the Para-Archery World Championships in Nymburk, Czech Republic. She also holds Turkish records for 30-50-60-70 meters, FITA, 70 meter round, and Olymp R Match for the ARW2 female category.
Reader's Guide
Gizem Girişmen's significance lies in her sustained dominance in Paralympic archery, having been ranked Number One Archer in the World for Women's Ind. Recurve-W1/W2 since 2007. Her gold medal at the 2008 Summer Paralympics, where she defeated Chinese rival Fu Hongzhi, marked a high point in her career. She further solidified her status by winning gold at the 2009 Para-Archery World Championships in Nymburk, Czech Republic. Her achievements earned her a nomination as the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year, making her the first Turkish athlete to receive that nomination. She also served as a torch bearer for the 2008 Summer Paralympics and was the flag bearer for Turkey at the 2012 Summer Paralympics. At the 2012 Paralympics, she competed in the women's individual recurve W1/W2 event, losing to her Iranian opponent in the quarterfinals, and was part of the Turkish women's team recurve event, which placed fifth after losing to Italy in the quarterfinals. Her legacy includes multiple Turkish national records in the ARW2 category.
Did You Know?
- She began practicing archery in the basement garage of her apartment building with neighbors' permission.
- She was nominated as the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year, the first Turkish athlete to receive that nomination.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gizem Girişmen?
Gizem Girişmen is a Turkish Paralympic archer born on 25 November 1981 who competes in the women's recurve ARW2 class. She has held the world number one ranking in Women's Individual Recurve W1/W2 since 2007.
What are Gizem Girişmen's major titles?
She won the individual recurve W1/W2 gold medal at the 2008 Summer Paralympics and took first place in the FITA Round at the 2007 IPC Archery World Championships. Her international debut came at the 2006 European Championships in the Czech Republic, where she placed third in her category.
How did Gizem Girişmen get into archery?
After a traffic accident in 1992 left her paralyzed at age eleven, she did not pick up a bow until 2004, when an invitation to a local competition sparked her curiosity. She trained in the basement garage of her apartment building, using her neighbors' permission as her makeshift range.
What is Gizem Girişmen's educational background?
She earned a Business Administration degree with honors from Bilkent University in 2004, the very same year she first tried archery. She is therefore both a degree-holding graduate and a world-class Paralympic competitor.
Why is Gizem Girişmen considered a significant figure in Paralympic archery?
She climbed to the top of the world rankings in Women's Individual Recurve W1/W2 and cemented that status with a gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics. Her journey from a childhood accident to global champion has made her one of Turkey's most celebrated Paralympic athletes.
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