Hüseyin Özkan was born in Chechnya in 1972. At a young age, as his relatives and friends around him turned to sports, he was introduced to judo at the age of 10. He won his first medal by coming in third in his first competition, just three months after starting the sport. This success became one of the sources of motivation in his sports career.

Arrival in Türkiye and National Team Career

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, he settled in Türkiye in 1993 upon an invitation from the country. Özkan, who came to Türkiye with the aim of competing for a Muslim country and achieving success, quickly became a Turkish citizen and began to compete for the national team. Although investment in sports was limited when he arrived in Turkey, he achieved significant success in his judo career through his disciplined and dedicated work.

Olympic and International Achievements

At the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, he competed in the 66 kg category and won Türkiye's first gold medal in judo. He defeated his French opponent, Larbi Benboudaoud, with an ippon in the final. The Olympic championship came in the 18th year of his judo career. In addition to this success, he also achieved important rankings such as European championship and world runner-up.

Retirement from Active Sports and Coaching Career

He ended his active sports career in 2003 due to an injury. After 2002, he worked for three years at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Sports Club. He was later appointed as the technical director of the national team. He led the national team during the London and Rio Olympics, sharing his knowledge and experience with the athletes.

Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Kağıtspor and TOHM Duties

Since 2009, he has been working as a judo technical director at Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Kağıtspor. Özkan, who also operates within the scope of the Turkish Olympic Preparation Centers (TOHM), particularly contributed to the camp processes of the junior and youth national teams. Stating that Kocaeli has a strong judo infrastructure, Özkan actively took on a role in the development of young athletes.

Sports Philosophy and Training Approach

Hüseyin Özkan emphasizes that sports are not limited to physical training, and that discipline, nutrition, sleep patterns, and respect are also fundamental components of this process. He has adopted a training approach that centers these values to provide athletes with a professional perspective. Özkan, who has trained athletes who won medals in all major organizations except the Olympics, aims for his athletes to win Olympic medals.

Current Work

Hüseyin Özkan continues his role as technical director within Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Kağıtspor. He also supports national team coaches, shares his experiences with athletes from different branches, and guides athletes preparing for the Olympics. With the experience he gained in his athletic and coaching career, he continues to contribute to Turkish judo.