Olympic champion Asli Cakir Alptekin honored as "athlete of the year"

Olympic champion Asli Cakir Alptekin has been voted "athlete of the year" in a poll conducted by Turkish daily Milliyet. Cakir Alptekin became the first Turkish athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in a track and field event with her 1,500-meter victory in the 2012 Games in London this summer. The 59th Milliyet Sports Awards were voted for in a popular poll. Galatasaray's midfield maestro Selcuk Inan won the "footballer of the year" award.