VISUAL STORY OF AN ATHLETE'S LOVE AND DEDICATION TO SWIMMING
An unauthorized Biography prepared by istanbullite.com
The information and pictures in these pages only cover Zülal Zeren's years at the Ohio State University, where she studied as an undergraduate student with a full scholarship in swimming. Zülal who's love for swimming began at age nine, started competing in National and International level for Turkey at the age of thirteen. Before coming to the United States, she broke numerous records and won several meets in the youth category for Turkey, including the Mediterenean, Balkan and Islamic Games. She continued her International success while at Ohio State, highlighted by the A Finals in the European Championships in London and winning the Latvian Championship in Riga, Latvia in 2016.
Prior to Ohio State: Backstroke and freestyle specialist ... will represent Turkey in June 2013 at the Mediterranean Games ... has competed for Turkey in the European and World Short Course Championships in 2012 ... made appearances in the semifinals in the 50m and 100m backstroke and finished fourth in the 400 medley and 400 free relays at the 2010 European Junior Championships in Finland ... broke a record in the 50m backstroke and took second place in the 100m backstroke at the 2010 Balkan Junior Championships in Bulgaria ... holds the Turkey record in 200m backstroke ... has earned several medals in club competitions ... placed first in several backstroke events for high school squad ... team captain junior team from 2008-2011 ... coached by Levent Camuscuoglu at the Fenerbahce Sport Club for the last nine years.
BIG TEN SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS FEBRUARY 2015
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ON THE BUBBLE FOR NCAA*News in SWIM SWAM
Representing Turkey in Malaga, Spain
"....Because I'm so excited to represent my country again." Z.Zeren
TWO TRAINING VIDEOS AT OHIO STATE
Zülal Zeren breaks Turkish record in prelims of Ohio State Sectional, July 22, 2015.
Zulal Zeren Article in Swim Swam Article
Buckeyes Zulal Zerengot off to a fast start Wednesday morning at the 2015 Speedo Sectionals, hosted by the Ohio State Swim Club at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. Scheduled to take place July 22-25, the meet is part of the Speedo Champions Series, which joins some of the top swimming talent in the United States in several stops throughout the year.
Zeren, who was recently named to the Turkish National Team for the 2015 FINA World Championships, posted a school record-breaking time of 2:13.6 in the 200 backstroke. The time was also a Turkish national record. A native of Istanbul, Turkey, Zeren will travel to Kazan, Russia to compete at the FINA World Championships, July 24-Aug. 9.
ZEREN REPRESENTS TURKEY IN KAZAN RUSSIA AT THE 16. FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
When you won that title you should know now that you are representing a whole country or nation with your actions and you are now in a glass house or under a microscope and you better be ready to make your people proud. -Alexis Arguello
News courtesy of SWIM SWAM
ZÜLAL ZEREN BREAKS NEW TURKISH RECORDS IN SWIMMING ONE AFTER ANOTHER AT THE TSF TURKISH CHAMPIONSHIPS. AUGUST 12-16 2015
Zülal Zeren, the Ohio State swimmer and member of Turkish National Swimming Team who recently represented Turkey in the FINA World Championships in Kazan Russia, has just rounded up five day competition at the TSF Turkish Summer Championships in Istanbul Turkey. Before leaving for overseas Zeren, the backstroke specialist, broke the Turkish National and Ohio State varsity records in 200 m backstroke, swimming in 2:13:63. at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. This time in Istanbul fırst she equaled the Turkish record in 100 m backstroke with a time of 1:02:46, securing the first place. And today she broke the record in 200 backstroke once again with time of 2:12 :41 making the B cut for the Rio Olympics.Zeren also won another gold medal in 4x200 m free style medley during the Turkish Championships and swam for a bronze in 50 m backstroke.
A big congratulation goes to our Buckeye swimmer Zülal and we wish her safe travels back home.
Correction, after her record in 200 Back, she competed in 4x 100 m medley and won her fourth gold. Wow !
Ohio State Üniversitesi ve Türk Milli Takımı yüzücülerinden Zülal Zeren Rusya'nın Kazan şehrinde yapılan FINA Dünya Yüzme Şampiyonasında Türkiye'yi temsil ettikten sonra bu defa İstanbul'da beş gün süren TYF Türkiye Yaz Şampiyonasına katıldı. Okyanus ötesi yolculuğa çıkmadan hemen önce Zeren Ohio State üniversitesinde yapılan yarışmalarda 200 m sırtta 2:13:63 derecesi ile hem Ohio State Üniversitesi hem de Türkiye rekoru kırmıştı.
İstanbul'daki yarışmaların ikinci gününde 100 m sırtta 1.02.46 lık derecesi ile Türkiye rekorunu egale ederek birinciliği kazanan Zeren bugün de 200 m sırtta 2 :12 41 derecesi Türkiye rekorunu bir daha kırmakla kalmadı Rio Olimpiyatları için konulan B barajını da geçti.Bunun dışında 4x200 serbest karışıkta bir altın madalya kazanan Zeren 50 metre sırtta da bronz madalyanın sahibi oldu.
Düzeltme: 200 m sırttaki rekorundan sonra 4x100 m karışıkta da yarıştı ve dördüncü altın madalyasını kazandı.
Milli sporcumuzu yürekten kutlar sağlıklı bir yolculukla evine dönmesini dileriz.
Cem Ozmeral, istanbullite.com
SWIM SWAM ARTICLE : ZULAL ZEREN BREAKS NATIONAL BACKSTROKE RECORDS AT TURKISH CHAMPIONSHIPS
ZEREN' S VARSITY RECORD ON THE BOARDS AT THE McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion
BIG TEN WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANN ARBOR MICHIGAN, FEB 17-20 2016
ZÜLAL ZEREN GETS THE BRONZE IN 200 BACKSTROKE
News courtesy of Swim Swam
200 BACKSTROKE – FINAL
Top 3:
Clara Smiddy, Michigan – 1:51.57
Kennedy Goss, Indiana – 1:52.18
Halime Zulal Zeren, Ohio State – 1:54.52
And Michigan’s Clara Smiddyscored her second Big Ten title of 2016, sweeping the backstroke events with her win tonight in the 200m event. Smiddy owned the race from start to finish, clocking splits of 26.32/27.85/28.21/29.19 for the victory over 2nd place Kennedy Gossfrom Indiana.
Smiddy was able to improve upon her 2nd place finish from last year, as well as drop almost two tenths from her time at that edition of the meet to notch her 3rd sub-1:52 mark of her career.
Goss put up a big fight, especially towards the end where she out-split Smiddy on her final 50, closing in 28.08. But the Hoosier sophomore just ran out of real estate and settled for 2nd place tonight, touching in 1:52.18, still a career-best. Ohio State got on the board again, this time courtesy of Halime Zulal Zeren, who rounded out the top three with her swim of 1:54.52, about .4 of a second swifter than her morning swim.
Smiddy was the only swimmer to clinch an NCAA A cut with her outing tonight, although both Goss and Zeren dipped under the 2015 NCAA D1 Invite time of 1:54.66
Team Score Watch Through Event 16: Michigan 1050, Indiana 968.5.
ZÜLAL ZEREN PLACES SEVENTH IN 200 BACKSTROKE AT THE EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN LONDON, MAY 2016
CLICK FOR THE RESULTS OF 200 BACK FINALS
CALINAN RIO RUYASI-A WRITING IN TURKISH
ZÜLAL ZEREN FENERBAHÇE TV INTERVIEWS WITH COACH FATIH YILDIRIM AFTER EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS AND TEAMMATE TAHA ADIBEKE BEFORE TURKISH CHAMPIONSHIPS JUNE 2 , 2016
MERSIN,TURKEY TURKCELL TURKISH CHAMPIONSHIPS MAY 25-29, 2016
CLICK FOR VIDEO OF 200 BACK RACE IN MERSIN
SWIM SWAM
ZulalZeren, who trains at Ohio State,came close to reclaiming her Turkish National Record in the 200 back, swimming a time of 2:11.85
ISTANBULLITE
Ohio State Buckeyes swimmer Zulal Zeren who placed 7th in 200 Back at the European Championships in London last week, won the first place today at the Turkish Championships in the the same event with 211.85. Way to go Zulal.
News courtesy of Latvian Swimming Federation Website
Turkey looking for fast water at the Latvian Nationals
Halime Zülal Zeren (@zulalzeren), the Ohio State swimmer, and member of the Turkish National Swimming Team who recently represented Turkey in the European Aquatics Swimming Championships in London, will be one of the main competitors to qualify for the Rio Olympics art next week’s Latvian Nationals.
Twenty-one year old Zülal Zeren is a Turkish female swimmer competing mainly in freestyle and backstroke events. Just few weeks ago she placed seventh in the 200m backstroke at the European Aquatics Swimming Championships in London, where she clocked her all-time best – 2:11.71. This is just a stone’s-throw away from the RIO Olympics cut time of 2:10.25.
Zeren is also one Turkey’s best backstroke swimmers. At the 2013 Mediterranean Games in Mersin, Turkey, Zeren won two bronze medals and set three national records. She was also very successful at the 2013 Islamic Solidarity Games held in Palembang, Indonesia by taking a total of six medals, five of them gold.
Today Zeren holds several national records in short course events and holds the second all- time best 200m backstroke time in the long course. Her progress is promising in the spectacular battle for faster swim times.
Another Turkish athlete, twenty six year-old, Baslakov İskender will also compete at the Latvian Nationals. He is the national record holder in several short course distances, the 50m fly on long course, and has represented Turkey in several European and World Championships where he has participated in the Finals.
For spreading our news and comments please use hashtag: #LatvianNationals, #SwimLatvia
Winning 200 Backstroke, Latvian Championships , Riga Latvia June 27, 2016
CLICK FOR SHORT VIDEO
ZULAL ZEREN FINISHES 2016 ON HIGH NOTE
Zulal Zeren with her teammates Zehra Duru Bilgin,Nihan Cakici,Gulsen Besta Samanci who won the 4x100 m medley
Zulal Zeren, the Ohio State University swimming team’s senior backstroke specialist who also swims for Fenerbahce S.C. in Istanbul and the Türkish National Team, flew back to her home country for the Türkish National Swimming Championships this past week. Zeren’s peek performances in international competition this summer came at the National meets in Mersin, Turkey and Riga Latvia where she earned the gold medal in 200 meters backst...roke in long course competition. She was also an A finalist in 200m backstroke during the World Swimming Championships of 2016 in London.
Zulal ended her 2016 international competition on a high note in Istanbul last week. At the Winter Nationals of Turkey she placed first, in 200m backstroke short course competition. She also helped her team in winning to two more gold medals at the 4x 50 meter medley and 4X100 m medley. Her two other medals, both silver, came at the 50 m backstroke, where she touched the wall a mere.03 seconds behind the winner of the event, and 100 m backstroke wıth a time of 1:00:34.
After fınishing the competition on Christmas day and spending a single day with her family at home she will be flying back to Columbus again to to join her teammates of the Ohio State Women’s swimming team. This time she will start getting ready to help her Buckeyes at the Big Ten Champıonshıps and trying to qualıfy for the upcoming NCAA championships in Indiana this winter.
FENERBAHÇE MAGAZINE INTERVIEW, February 2017 Issue
H. Zülal Zeren: “Şampiyonluklar Fenerbahçe’de gelenek haline geldi”
...
Renklerine gönül verdiği camiamızda 9 yaşında yüzmeye başlayan ve 10 yaşından itibaren her yaş gurubunda takım kaptanlığı yapan Halime Zülal Zeren, çok sayıda başarıya da imza attı. Eğitim ve sporculuk kariyerine bir arada devam ettirebilmek için 3 yıl önce ABD’nin yolunu tutan 21 yaşındaki milli yüzücü, buradaki eğitimine ara verip; Türkiye Açık Yaş Yüzme Şampiyonası’nda takımını yalnız bırakmamak için İstanbul’a geldi. Şampiyonanın ardından tekrar ABD’ye dönen Zülal ile bu uzun yolculuk öncesi bir araya geldik ve bir solukta okuyacağınız keyifli bir röportaja imza attık.
Röportajdan derlediğimiz spotlar şöyle:
01: 21 yaşındayım ve 10 yaşımdan itibaren bu seneye kadar kulüp olarak katıldığımız her turnuvada şampiyon olmak bizim için bir gelenek haline geldi. Hatta bir sene, büyük bir rakibimiz bizim en önemli dört sporcumuzu transfer ederek şampiyonluk planları yaparken, biz tamamen genç takımımızla Türkiye Yaz Şampiyonu olmuştuk.
02: 13 yaşımda Samsun’da milli takım seçmelerinde 200 metre sırtüstü stilinde kırdığım ilk Türkiye rekorunu unutamam. Balkan Gençler rekoru kırarak Bulgaristan’da okuttuğum milli marşımızı, Avrupa Şampiyonaları’ndaki final yarışlarımı, Akdeniz Oyunları’ndaki bronz madalyaları kazandığım yarışları, İslam Oyunları’ndaki altın madalyalarımı, Avrupa’daki çeşitli yarışlardaki madalyalarımı ve ABD’de yapılan Big 10 yarışlarındaki madalya sevinçlerim unutamadığım anlarda ilk aklıma gelenler.
03: Beni Fenerbahçe’den koparmayan bağ Fenerbahçeli olmam ve bu kulübe olan sevgim. ABD’deki odamda Türk bayrağı, Atatürk portresi ve yanında Fenerbahçe flaması her zaman asılıdır”
SENIOR YEAR AT OHIO STATE FALL 2016 -2017
SENIOR DAY RECOGNITION February 3, 2017
OHIO STATE COLLEGE SWIMMING COMES TO END WITH B1G IN LAFAYETTE INDIANA, FEBRUARY 18, 2017
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LAST TWO INTERNATIONAL MEETS
4 th ISLAMIC SOLIDARITY GAMES, BAKU AZERBAIJAN, May 2017
A LONG AND SUCCESFUL CAREER ENDS WITH THE TAPEI UNIVERSIADE GAMES
Zulal Zeren of Ohio State collects two Silver medals for the Turkish National Team in 100 m and 200 m Backstroke events,during the 4th İslamic Solidartity Games held in Baku Azarbaijan. Next up for the internatinonal swimmer wiil be the Universiade games which will take place in August in Chinese Taipei.Keep up the good work Zülal
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WOMEN'SWIMMING NEWS :Zülal Zeren will represent Turkey and Ohio State at the Universiade 2017 games in Taipei.
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Every end is a new beginning/Her son yeni bir başlangıçtır.
Humphrey Highlights | Zulal Zeren Zeren interning with Athletics Nutrition
July 13, 2017
Click on the picture to read the article
CLICK FOR ZULAL'S TIMES AND RECORDS AT OHIO STATE
ALL OF ZULAL'S VIDEOS PUBLISHED BY ISTANBULLITE. COM
Twenty-one year old Zülal Zeren is a Turkish female swimmer competing mainly in freestyle and backstroke events. Just few weeks ago she placed seventh in the 200m backstroke at the European Aquatics Swimming Championships in London, where she clocked her all-time best – 2:11.71. This is just a stone’s-throw away from the RIO Olympics cut time of 2:10.25.
