Meryem Erdoğan
Encyclopedia
Meryem Erdoğan is an Ethiopia
n-born Turkish
female long-distance runner.
. Impressed by her countrywoman Elvan Abeylegesse
, who became a renowned athlete after acquiring Turkish citizenship, she decided to go to Turkey in order to become an athlete there. In 2006, at age of 16, she illegally immigrated to Turkey via Beirut
, Lebanon
.
She was caught by police in Istanbul
, however barely escaped deportation. Following adventurous times, she was acknowledged as a talented athlete candidate by Ertan Hatipoğlu, the former coach of Elvan Abeylegesse. Her application for Turkish citizenship was accepted in January 2010. She took the Turkish name Meryem and chose as surname Erdoğan for her admiration of the Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
.
and Fenerbahçe Athletics
due to her illegal status, Meryem Erdoğan was admitted to Kasımpaşaspor in Istanbul and finally entered Kocaeli Büyükşehir Belediyesi Kağıt Spor Kulübü
in İzmit
, where she is being coached by Öznur Dursun, a former national female athlete.
She participated at various international long-distance runs held in Turkey under her Ethiopian identification as Mariam Tanga or Mariam Hana Dingo. In 2009, she placed second at the half marathon
in Trabzon
and fourth in the 15 km run at the 31st Eurasia Marathon
in Istanbul. In March of the same year, she won the 10 km road run of the 4th International Runtalya Marathon in Antalya
with a time of 33:09.
Her international debut following her acquirement of a Turkish passport was at the Papaflessia
international meeting held in Kalamata
, Greece
on May 29, 2010, where she won the 1500 m event in 4:16.92. At her next international participation, the 14th European Cup 10000m
held on June 5, 2010 in Marseille
, France
, she placed fourth in a personal best time of 31:55.53.
On July 28, 2010, Erdoğan finished fifth in the 10000 m final
at the European Championships in Barcelona
, Spain
, clocking a new personal best of 31:44.86. Four days later, on August 1, 2010, she finished seventh in the 5000 m final
, in another personal best time of 15:14.92. She became the women's under-23 champion at the 2010 European Cross Country Championships
, winning by a margin of nine seconds.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n-born Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
female long-distance runner.
Personal life
She was born on April 24, 1990 in EthiopiaEthiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Impressed by her countrywoman Elvan Abeylegesse
Elvan Abeylegesse
Elvan Abeylegesse is an Ethiopian-born Turkish middle and long distance track and field athlete, running in the disciplines of 1500 m, 3000 m and 5000 m, but also 10000 m, 2 miles and cross country...
, who became a renowned athlete after acquiring Turkish citizenship, she decided to go to Turkey in order to become an athlete there. In 2006, at age of 16, she illegally immigrated to Turkey via Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
She was caught by police in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, however barely escaped deportation. Following adventurous times, she was acknowledged as a talented athlete candidate by Ertan Hatipoğlu, the former coach of Elvan Abeylegesse. Her application for Turkish citizenship was accepted in January 2010. She took the Turkish name Meryem and chose as surname Erdoğan for her admiration of the Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara...
.
Sports career
Rejected initially by the clubs EnkasporEnkaspor
Enkaspor is a multi-sports club established in 1983 in Istanbul, Turkey by the Turkish construction conglomerate Enka Constructio Co..Enkaspor's main activities are in athletics, water polo, tennis and swimming with 353 women and 467 men in active sport as of December 2010.-Facilities:Sports...
and Fenerbahçe Athletics
Fenerbahçe Athletics
Fenerbahçe Athletics is the men's and women's athletics section of Fenerbahçe S.K., a major sports club in Istanbul, Turkey.Fenerbahçe Athletics use Dereağzı Facilities.-Technical staff:-Men's squad:* Oğuz Akça* Halil Akkaş* Caner Alagöz...
due to her illegal status, Meryem Erdoğan was admitted to Kasımpaşaspor in Istanbul and finally entered Kocaeli Büyükşehir Belediyesi Kağıt Spor Kulübü
Kocaeli Büyüksehir Belediyesi Kagit Spor Kulübü
The Kocaeli Büyükşehir Belediyesi Kağıt Spor Kulübü, aka Kocaeli BB Kağıtspor, is a multi-sports club sponsored by the Metropolitan Municipality of Kocaeli in Turkey. It was originally founded in 1937 as "İzmit Kağıtspor", a sports club of the state-owned SEKA Cellulose and Paper Works in Izmit,...
in İzmit
Izmit
İzmit is a city in Turkey, administrative center of Kocaeli Province as well as the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality. It is located at the Gulf of İzmit in the Sea of Marmara, about east of Istanbul, on the northwestern part of Anatolia. The city center has a population of 294.875...
, where she is being coached by Öznur Dursun, a former national female athlete.
She participated at various international long-distance runs held in Turkey under her Ethiopian identification as Mariam Tanga or Mariam Hana Dingo. In 2009, she placed second at the half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
in Trabzon
Trabzon
Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...
and fourth in the 15 km run at the 31st Eurasia Marathon
Eurasia Marathon
The Istanbul Marathon The Istanbul Marathon The Istanbul Marathon (full name Intercontinental Istanbul Eurasia Marathon; is an international athletics event organized by the metropolitan municipality in Istanbul, Turkey, every year on a Sunday in October since 1979....
in Istanbul. In March of the same year, she won the 10 km road run of the 4th International Runtalya Marathon in Antalya
Antalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
with a time of 33:09.
Her international debut following her acquirement of a Turkish passport was at the Papaflessia
Papaflessia
Papaflessia is an annual international athletics meeting that is held in Kalamata, Greece. The meeting falls within the European Athletic Association's calendar of meeting...
international meeting held in Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
on May 29, 2010, where she won the 1500 m event in 4:16.92. At her next international participation, the 14th European Cup 10000m
European Cup 10000m
The European Cup 10000m is an annual 10,000 metres race for European athletes which was first held in 1997. The competition is organised by the European Athletics Association and first began as the European 10000 Metres Challenge after the event was removed from the European Cup programme...
held on June 5, 2010 in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, she placed fourth in a personal best time of 31:55.53.
On July 28, 2010, Erdoğan finished fifth in the 10000 m final
2010 European Athletics Championships – Women's 10,000 metres
The women's 10,000 metres at the 2010 European Athletics Championships was held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on 28 July.-Medalists:-Records:-Schedule:-Final:-References:*...
at the European Championships in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, clocking a new personal best of 31:44.86. Four days later, on August 1, 2010, she finished seventh in the 5000 m final
2010 European Athletics Championships – Women's 5000 metres
The women's 5000 metres at the 2010 European Athletics Championships was held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on 1 August.-Medalists:-Records:-Schedule:-Final:-References:*...
, in another personal best time of 15:14.92. She became the women's under-23 champion at the 2010 European Cross Country Championships
2010 European Cross Country Championships
The 2010 European Cross Country Championships was a continental cross country running competition that took place on 12 December in Albufeira, Portugal. It was the second time that the country hosted the event, building upon the 1997 edition held in Oeiras....
, winning by a margin of nine seconds.
Performance progression
| Distance | Season | Time | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 m | 2009 | 4:15.62 | Istanbul, TUR | June 13, 2009 |
| 5000 m | 2010 | 15:14.92 | Barcelona, ESP | August 1, 2010 |
| 2010 | 31:44.86 | Barcelona, ESP | July 28, 2010 | |
| 10 km | 2009 | 33:09 | Antalya, TUR | March 15, 2009 |
| 15 km | 2010 | 50:12 | Istanbul, TUR | October 17, 2010 |
| 2009 | 51:22 | Istanbul, TUR | October 18, 2009 | |
| Half marathon | 2009 | 1:11:24 | Trabzon, TUR | February 22, 2009 |