TurkeyBiography
Cuban-born Turkish Olympic medallist.
Born in Havana. Started in athletics at age of 12, but late-developed. He selected 2006 for Cuban team for the first time and won CAC Champs medal. He contested gold-medal winning 4x4 team in Ibero-American Games and provisionally selected for the 2008 Olympics squad, but eventually did not chosen to compete. Series of some incidents with Cuban National Team in subsequent seasons, he decided to leave from the motherland in 2010. His manager contacted Spanish and later Turkish clubs. He came to Turkey in 2012 after a brief stint in Spain. Applied for Turkish citizenship in 2012 and eligible to compete for his new country from 30 April 2014.
Copello adapted and impacted Turkish athletics very quickly became Balkan and European champion. Secured Olympic bronze medal in 400m hurdles in Rio, just third athletics medal of Turkish athletics history. One year later, he emerged World Champs silver in London. He continued to stellar performances every year since he moved to Turkey, wins Med Games and European Champs silver as well in 2018. Copello contested his third successive World Champs 400H final in Doha 2019.
TRIVIA
♦ Clubs in Turkey: Fenerbahçe (2012-2016), ENKA (from 2017)
♦ Married to former volleyball player, Ankara-based Turkish nationals Elif Koç in 2019.
♦ Coached by Massimo Matrone (ITA).
♦ Lives in Ankara. Trains in Antalya & Ankara, sometimes in Italy.
Text S.F.Erbay