A breakthrough in Lisbon
Turkish para athlete Esra Bayrak captured the gold medal in the long jump at the 2026 National Athletics Championship in Lisbon, Portugal. The invited athlete delivered a performance that reshaped the international rankings.
Rankings milestone
With her victory in Lisbon, Bayrak moved to first place in the 2026 European Ranking and rose to second in the world rankings. She becomes the first female Turkish athlete in para athletics history to reach the top spot in the European ranking, marking a significant moment for the nation's sport.
Eyes on Los Angeles 2028
Bayrak, who finished fourth at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and currently serves as national team captain, now sets her ambition higher. Her goal is to claim Turkey's first-ever gold medal in para athletics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
