Turkish national basketball player Alperen Şengün has been shortlisted for the Balkan Athlete of the Year award, placing him among the top 10 candidates selected for the 52nd edition of the annual poll organized by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).
The Balkan Athlete of the Year award is determined through a vote by national news agencies from across the region, including Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency.
Şengün secured his place on the shortlist following his influential performance at the 2025 European Championship, where he played a central role in Türkiye’s journey to a silver medal, further cementing his status as one of the region’s most prominent athletes.
This year’s top 10 also features leading figures from across the sporting world, including Romanian swimmer David Popovici, Kosovo’s judo star Distria Krasniqi, Greek pole vaulter Emmanouil Karalis, Croatian alpine skier Zrinka Ljutić, Serbian basketball player Nikola Jokić, Greek rower Stefanos Douskos, Greek basketball icon Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bulgarian volleyball player Aleksandar Nikolov and Bulgarian weightlifter Karlos Nasar.
In total, 47 athletes were nominated in the 2025 edition of the poll. The winner and full rankings will be officially announced at a ceremony to be held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Feb. 16.
Source: Anadolu Agency
