Gülderen Çelik (born April 13, 1980, in Istanbul, Turkey) is a Turkish female karateka competing in the Kumite –53 kg division. The 1.80 m (5.9 ft.) tall athlete is a member of the Sarıyer Belediyespor in Istanbul. Her trainer is Turan Yılmaz.

Karate career:

Aged only 12 years, Çelik was inspired by a neighbor’s young boy performing karate. In 1992 she started attending karate lessons given by Bahattin Kandez, a former national karate practitioner. He is still her tutor.

After having been successful at the provincial level, Çelik fought in national tournaments winning titles. At her first international participation in 1999 in Euboea, Greece, she became a European bronze medalist in Kumite under 53 kg divisions.

Since then, she has been competing at various international events with success and has been champion several times in her category.

Achievements:

2012

• 16th Balkan Children & Seniors karate championships in Herceg Novi, Montenegro– Kumite -55 kg

2010

• 45th European Karate Senior Championships in Athens, Greece – May 7–9 – Kumite -50 kg
• 20th World Senior Karate Championships– Belgrade, Serbia – October 27 – Kumite -50 kg 5th

2009

• Mediterranean Games in Pescara, Italy – June 25-July 5 – Kumite -50 kg
• World Games in Kaohsiung, Taiwan– July 25–26 – Kumite -53 kg

• 44th European Karate Senior Championships in Zagreb, Croatia – May 8–10 – Kumite -50 kg
• Dutch Open in Rotterdam, Netherlands– March 7–8 – Kumite -55 kg

2008

• 19th World Championships in Tokyo, Japan – November 13–16 – Kumite -53 kg
• German Open in Hamburg, Germany– September 27–28 – Kumite -53 kg
• 43rd European Championships in Tallinn, Estonia – May 2–4 – Kumite -53 kg

2007

• 42nd European Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia – May 4–6 – Kumite -53 kg
• Italian Open in Monza, Italy– March 31-April 1 – Kumite -53 kg 2006
• National Championships in Antalya, Turkey– March 26–27 – Kumite -53 kg

2005

• 40th European Championships in Tenerife, Spain – May 13–15 – Kumite -53 kg
• Italian Open in Monza, Italy– April 9–10 – Kumite -53 kg

2004

• 4th World University Karate Championships in Belgrade, Serbia– July 10 – Kumite -53 kg

2003

• European Championships in Bremen, Germany – May 9–11 – Kumite -53 kg

1999

• European Championships in Euboea, Greece – May 20–23 – Kumite -53 kg
• National Individual Karate Tournament in Denizli, Turkey