Turkish swimmers Düğen and Çelik win Bosphorus Cross-continental Swimming Race
- Sports
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 06:31 | 21 July 2019
- Modified Date: 06:32 | 21 July 2019
Two Turkish nationals won Sunday's swimming race held in the Bosphorus.
Melikşah Düğen won the 6.5-kilometer (4-mile) race in the men's category finishing in 48 minutes and 28 seconds.
Ilgin Çelik won the same race in the women's category with a 47-minute-and-19-second finishing time.
A total of 2,400 swimmers from 59 countries competed in the 31st Samsung Bosphorus Cross-continental Swimming Race.
The race started in Kanlıca neighborhood on the Asian side of Istanbul and ended at Kuruçeşme on the European side.
Turkey's Youth and Sports Minister Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu handed out the awards to winners.
This competition has been held for 30 years to promote Turkey and its tourism hub Istanbul and is regarded as the world's best open water swimming race.