WordBulletin

World Bulletin / News Desk

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received the country's five medal-winning athletes from the recently ended London Olympics at his official residence in Ankara on Wednesday.

The meeting was closed to members of the press and lasted about 50 minutes. Youth and Sports Minister Suat Kılıç and officials from medal-winning sports federations were also present at the prime minister's residence for the meeting.

Olympic medalists in taekwondo Servet Tazegül and Nur Tatar, 1,500-meter runners Aslı Çakır Alptekin and Gamze Bulut and wrestler Rıza Kayaalp were all in attendance at the meeting, where Prime Minister Erdoğan presented them with mobile phones. Erdoğan will present gold gifts to the athletes at a later date.

Turkey won two gold, two silver and one bronze medal at the London Olympics, where the country was represented by the largest number of athletes in its history. Female athletes outnumbered males in the Turkish contingent -- a fact also reflected in terms of the medals won. Of the five medals won by Turks, three were won by women. Arguably the most remarkable moment for the nation was when Alptekin and Bulut finished the women's 1,500 meter in first and second place after a powerful final lap.