Ahmet Arslan (born 1986 in Gazipaşa, Antalya) is a retired long-distance runner from Turkey who competed in mountain running. He is a seven time successive champion of European Mountain Running Championships.
Biography He was born in 1986 to a farmer's family in Gazipaşa of Antalya Province in southern Turkey. Ahmet Arslan has seven siblings. He completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown. After the high school, he attended Adnan Menderes University in Aydın and graduated 2009 with a degree in physical education and sports.
Ahmet Arslan started with athletics in 2000 at the high school. He had to discontinue sports in 2004 for one year. After 2005, he begin intensive running training, especially after meeting his coach Metin Sazak, a former athlete. He switched to mountain running from cross-country running. That year, he took part in the national mountain running championships and became successful although he competed in the seniors category despite his young age. Admitted to the national team, he participated at his first international events like the European Mountain Championships and the World Mountain Running Trophy and gained international experience.
From 2007 on, Ahmet Arslan won the European championships seven times in a row. In 2010, he won the gold medal also at the WMRA Grand Prix. He was the silver medallist at the 2011 World Mountain Running Championships, coming second behind American Max King.Hussain, Bashir (2011-09-13). USA double, as eleven nations take medals at the 27th World Mountain Running Championships. IAAF/WMRA. Retrieved on 2011-09-24. In the absence of the American, he won the continental title at the 2011 European Mountain Running Championships held in Turkey. He won that year's WMRA Grand Prix series. He began 2012 with a win at the Montée du Grand Ballon race.Hobbs, Nancy (2012-05-18). Arslan and Belotti triumph at WMRA kick-off in Willer Sur Thur. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-05-22. He has won the Red Bull 400 several times between 2011 and 2019. Since mountain running sport is not recognized as an Olympic sports branch, he is complaining about not finding a sponsor for his active sports career.
He also coaches her spouse Yasemin Can Arslan, a long-distance runner. Eraly January 2020, the Red Bull athlete announced that he retired from active sport.
Achievements Year Event Host RankJunior men's200521st World Mountain Running Trophy, Wellington4th Senior men's20076th European Championships, Cauterets20087th European Championships, Zell am Harmersbach24th World Mountain Running Trophy, Sierre20098th European Championships, Telfes im Stubai20109th European Championships, Sapareva BanyaWMRA Grand Prix, Šmarna gora26th WMRA World Championships, Kamnik7th20116th Antalya Marathon, Antalya10th European Championships, Bursa27th World Championships, Tirana1st Red Bull 400 Bad Mitterndorf201211th European Championships, Denizli3rd Red Bull 400 Planica-20134th Red Bull 400 Planica5th Red Bull 400 Tauplitz Bad Mitterndorf12th European Championships, Borovets2014|-7th Red Bull 400 Tauplitz Bad Mitterndorf13th European Championships, Hautes-Alpes8th201512th Red Bull 400, Harrachov13th Red Bull 400, Bischofshofen14th Red Bull 400, Planica15th Red Bull 400, Park City201616th Red Bull 400, Almaty18th Red Bull 400, Titisee-Neustadt22nd Red Bull 400, Planica32nd World Championships, Sapareva Banya201724th Red Bull 400, Almaty25th Red Bull 400, Erzurum31st Red Bull 400, Titisee-Neustadt201846th Red Bull 400, Titisee-Neustadt 201954th Red Bull 400, Almaty
Awards In July 2011, Ahmet Arslan was awarded the title European Athlete of the Month.
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