Berkay Erer Crowned European Champion

Our student from the Faculty of Sport Sciences, Department of Coaching Education, and national taekwondo athlete Berkay Erer won the gold medal and became European Champion in the men’s 68 kg category at the 2026 European Taekwondo Championships held in Munich, Germany.

Competing as the top seed, Erer received a bye in the first round. In the round of 32, he defeated Moldovan athlete Liviu Bugneac 2–0. He then advanced to the round of 16, where he overcame Israeli competitor Nimrod Krivishkiy with the same score to reach the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinal stage, he defeated Greek athlete Apostolos Panagopoulos in two rounds, followed by a 2–0 victory over Italian competitor Dennis Baretta in the semifinals.

In the final, Erer faced Ukrainian athlete Volodymyr Bystrov and secured the European title with a 2–0 win. He did not drop a single round throughout the tournament, completing the competition undefeated and claiming the gold medal.

Having previously achieved European and world titles at youth level, this victory marks his first senior European championship title. He is also expected to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where he aims to contend for a gold medal.

We congratulate our student Berkay Erer on this outstanding achievement and wish him continued success in his sporting career at both national and international levels.