2020 TURKISH LC NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION MEET
- Friday, December 25th – Sunday, December 27th
- Istanbul, Turkey
- LCM (50m)
- Results
While competing at the just-concluded Turkish Long Course National Team Selection meet, 15-year-old Merve Tuncel fired off another national record.
Placing on top of the podium in the women’s 1500m free, the teen clocked a time of 16:03.23, overtaking the previous NR of 16:21.39 Beril Bocekler put on the books in July of 2019.
Remarkably, Tuncel’s personal best entering this 3-day meet in Istanbul rested at the 16:29.24 she established at the FFN Golden Tour in Nice in February of 2020. As such, in the span of fewer than 12 months, the young budding freestyle ace dropped a massive 26 seconds en route to the Turkish title.
At just 15, Tuncel just makes the list of the world’s top 50 performers all-time in the event. Splits for her impressive swim are below.
Tuncel’s 16:03.23 now ranks the Turk as the world’s 4th fastest performer this season.
2020-2021 LCM Women 1500 Free
Ledecky
15:35.35
| 2 | Erica Sullivan | USA | 15:41.41 | 07/28 |
| 3 | Wang Jianjiahe | CHN | 15:41.49 | 07/26 |
| 4 | Sarah Kohler | GER | 15:42.91 | 07/28 |
| 5 | Maddy Gough | AUS | 15:46.13 | 06/15 |
Tuncel is the teen who clocked a remarkable short course 1500 free swim at the Turkish SC Championships last week. She produced a big-time lifetime best of 15:45.29 in the event to establish a new World Junor Record.
Yeesh. This girl is the truth.
Wow! Faster than Sarah Kohler! She’ll be exciting to see at Tokyo.
Not sure how that would mean much … ? It is obvious that both Köhler and Quadarella were cruising this year. In order to medal in Tokyo you will have to be sub 15:40.
You’re probably right, but bear in mind that only 2 women have ever been sub 15:40 – one’s Ledecky, and the other is Friis, who’s retired.
Moreover, its height is only 160cm. it must be a very strong talent.
To lazy to go through all the results, how many come out of the meet with times faster then the FINA A/B cuts?
Looked it up, she would be #3 all time for US 15/16 girls, behind only the legends Ledecky and Evans. Outstanding swim.
That’s crazy fast for 15, another athlete benefitted by the postponed Olympic schedule
She also went 8.28 in the 800 and 4.06 in the 400. Quite a talent – We’re used to seeing distance bolters in Olympic years, and this young lady may be the one.
Hopefully not … anyone who follows sport knows that any medal for a turkish athlete is bad news. I still remember the women’s 1500 m final (athletics) at the 2012 olympics …
Also there is a history of young girls from countries like that (Turkey, China, Russia) flaming out very quickly in distance events. They train those girls into the ground very early and after one or two good years they are never seen again.
Hmmm, you mean dope or burning at young ages? 2012 was a dark that nobody knows who is clear or not exactly.
In my opinion, you prejudge the swimming of the Turks. Yes, it is true that most of the people burn out just because they train in the wrong way, in the wrong hands. But I don’t think that this should apply to a youngster coming along for the Tokyo.
I would not doubt about her, her coach is Gjon Shity who used to be Luca’s Marin coach from early ages