77-year-old pediatrician Murat Kaçar has been running in youth and veteran teams for a total of 61 years. Kaçar won the 75th medal in the world with a time of 11.72 in the age 75 60 meters hurdles.
Murat Kaçar, who worked as a doctor in Bursa’s İnegöl district, started running in 1962 when he was in high school.
He did not quit athletics while he was studying at the medical school.
Kaçar, who was the captain of the Galatasaray athletics team for a while and played for the national team 33 times, ended his racing life in the elite category in 1976.
Achieved Second Place in the World
Kaçar continued his training for veteran races. He became the first European champion in the 60 meter hurdles in France in 2001, the European champion in the 100 meter hurdles track in Germany in 2002, the second European champion in Spain in 2003, and the second world champion in the USA in 2004. Kaçar won the world championship in the 60 meter steeplechase in South Korea in 2017, placed second in Europe at the European Masters Athletics Indoor Championships in Braga, Portugal in 2022, and again in 2022 at the World Masters Track Championships in Tampere, Finland for 75 years and 80 meters. He got the second place in the world in the disabled.
In the same year, at the Balkan Masters Indoor Championships held in Novomesto, Slovenia, with a time of 11.61 in the 60 meter hurdles, he both equaled the Turkish record and broke the Balkan record.
Won 75th Medal
Murat Kaçar, who ranked second in the world with a time of 11.72 in the 60-meter hurdles aged 75 years, at the 9th World Masters Athletics Championships in Torun, Poland, between March 26 and April 1, 2023, brought the silver medal to Turkey.
Having 11 medals in the world championships, 14 medals in the European championships and 50 medals in the Balkan games, Kaçar received his 75th medal at the age of 77 with the last championship. 16 athletes represented Turkey in the championship where 4 thousand 143 master athletes from 86 countries participated.
Murat Kaçar was the only athlete to win a medal from Turkey. With this success of Kaçar, Turkey ranked 49th among 56 countries that received medals.
“Only I got a medal on behalf of Türkiye”
Kaçar, who filled his home and practice with the trophies and medals he won and emphasized the importance of sports in human life, stated that besides his 6-year challenging medical education and doctor’s profession, he also successfully continued his sports life with the right planning.
Kaçar said, “I played for the national team 33 times between 1962 and 1972. I broke 8 Turkish records. After turning 40, I rose to the level of a master athlete. In the 56-year period from 1986 to the present day, I won 75 medals in the World, European and Balkan championships.” said.
