APersonIndependent states
Busenaz Sürmeneli
Boxer (b. 1998), Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion — the first Turkish woman to win Olympic gold in boxing.
Busenaz Sürmeneli was born in Trabzon and took up boxing as a teenager.
She won the 2019 World Championships in Ulan-Ude, Russia, and in 2021 took gold at 69 kg at the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first Turkish woman Olympic boxing champion.
Her victory gave a boost to women's boxing in Türkiye, and she is held up as a role model for young girls in sport.
Sources
Updated: October 2, 2026