Beach wrestling

National Champion in Freestyle and Beach Style Goes for First World Title

Saturday, October 6, 2018 - 16:48 By Marc Berman

Share this article

SARIGERME, Turkey (October 6th and 7th) -- When Huseyin BAKIR (TUR) began wrestling at age 11 in his childhood home of Istanbul, he never imagined that 8 years later he would already be a national champion in freestyle and beach wrestling and competing for his first world title in beach wrestling.

“I never thought to wrestle in the beach style. My focus has been on freestyle but, a month ago I came to Sarigerme to see my cousin. The national championship was going on the same time and I decided to try.” Bakir was able to capture the national title and qualify for the World Championship.

The transition between styles has been an interesting one for Bakir. “ The beach style is completely different than freestyle. I normally like to shoot in and attack my opponents legs but, you can not do that in the beach ( point awarded to opponent if the knee touches the sand during a takedown attempt). The time of the match is less so, the strategy changes. Wrestling is wrestling and I have trained many years so the change in style is not impossible to overcome.”

Another plus of competing on the beach for Bakir is the beautiful weather and wonderful beach. “ So perfect here, the weather, the beach and after the competition we will swim.”

Don’t miss Bakir tomorrow in the medal rounds. Catch him and the rest of the competition live on United World Wrestling.


 

Akgul elected President of Turkish Wrestling Federation

Wednesday, December 18, 2024 - 16:10 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

ANKARA, Turkiye (December 18) --- Taha AKGUL (TUR) today was elected the President of the Turkish Wrestling Federation at the 6th Regular and Financial General Assembly of the Turkish Wrestling Federation held at the Anadolu Hotels Esenboğa Thermal in Ankara.

Akgul retired from his wrestling career four short months ago at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after successfully winning his third Olympic medal. The 34-year-old native of Sivas, Turkiye, won Olympic gold in Rio 2016 and then back-to-back bronze medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics. Akgul is also a three-time world gold medalist and 11-time European champion.

"I am very happy to have been elected president by the representatives. Together, with my team, I will do my best for the sport of wrestling with passion and hard work,” Akgul stated to United World Wrestling shortly after the elections.

According to the Turkish Wrestling Federation’s Instagram page, Akgul received 189 out of 288 votes. Former three-time world champion Celcuk CEBI (TUR) received 92 of the remaining 99 votes, while the remaining seven were nullified.

“The full members of the new board of directors of the federation under the presidency of Akgul are as follows: Mesut Ozarslan, Abdullah Şanli, Arslan Narin, Murat Şahin, Huseyin Kaya, Şems Sezal, İsmail Yagbat, İhsan Gurol Guey, İbrahim Demirturkoğgu and Ahmet Yildirim,” stated the TWF.

For more information regarding Akgul's election and other news from Turkiye, see the Turkish Wrestling Federation's Instagram page.