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Olympic champion archer Mete Gazoz told students at Bezmialem Vakıf University that 2015 was the year he thought everything was over, yet it was also the year everything began.

Speaking about the road to his gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, his signature celebration and the mental demands of archery, Gazoz said the target at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is another gold medal.

A year that nearly ended his career

Gazoz, 27, described 2015 as a turning point in his sporting career. "2015 was very hard for me. It was the year I thought everything was finished, but it was also the year everything started," he said.

His mother encouraged him to continue, telling him she believed he would succeed if he kept going. Gazoz said he did not quit archery, and that 2016 became the year he set his goals. He added that family plays an important role.

How the Tokyo final turned on one arrow

"The most dangerous athlete is the one with nothing to lose," Gazoz said, explaining that such an archer no longer fears defeat and shoots every arrow to win. Preparation, he said, requires knowing what the opponent is doing.

Recalling the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Gazoz said the second arrow of the final was decisive. He looked at the opponent, saw a score of 8, and realized the mathematical outcome was in his hands. From that moment he knew he would shoot a 10 with his final arrow.

Math, nerves and a bit of luck

Gazoz said mathematics matters in archery alongside physical endurance. "In our sport, in my view, talent means being smart. You have to manage your excitement and accept the pressure and the wind, and do that for three hours. Luck comes into it a little too," he said.

The story behind the celebration

The athlete's signature celebration dates back to a promise made to coach Sermet Çınar in 2013. "One day he called me over and said, 'When you become champion, you will do this move,'" Gazoz recalled.

Five years later, after winning a championship in 2018, Gazoz remembered the promise and performed the gesture. He said it has stayed with him ever since.

Eyes on Los Angeles

Gazoz said he is continuing his preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games and added that his goal at the event is the gold medal.

Key takeaways

• Mete Gazoz called 2015 the year he thought his career was over before it truly began.
• His mother's encouragement kept him in the sport, and 2016 became the year he set his goals.
• A rival's score of 8 in the second arrow of the Tokyo 2020 final told Gazoz the gold was mathematically his.
• His signature celebration honors a promise he made to coach Sermet Çınar in 2013.