07.07.2025 13:40
The last champion of the Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling, Orhan Okulu, announced his new goal. Okulu stated, "Since 1998, no one has won the belt three times in a row. In 2026, there will be a rule change that will allow the belt to be awarded permanently to someone who wins it for five years, even if those years are not consecutive. I have already won it for three years. I want to win it two more times and become the permanent owner of the golden belt."
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The 664th Historical Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Champion, 36-year-old Orhan Okulu, aims to become the permanent owner of the belt by winning the championship for the fifth time.
'WE WORKED 6 DAYS A WEEK'
Okulu, the winner of the 654, 657, and 664 Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling competitions, told AA correspondent that it was a blessing to win the golden belt this year after 2015 and 2018. Stating that he prepared for Kırkpınar with a 6-month winter season training, Okulu said, "We prepared very well during the winter season. We trained six days a week. I reached the finals in all three matches in the 2025 CW Energy Turkey Oil Wrestling League. I came first in two and second in one. I came to Kırkpınar as a favorite. It was also my destiny to wear the golden belt again here. I am very happy."
'WE PLANNED TO FINISH BEFORE SCORING'
Okulu mentioned that his opponent in the final, Feyzullah Aktürk, came from the mat. Congratulating Aktürk, who is the European champion, Okulu continued:
"He also had tough matches until the final in Kırkpınar. He won by scoring. My coach and I planned to finish before scoring. In the final match, we won by throwing him down. We wore the golden belt in Kırkpınar, and from now on, we want to focus on being successful in market wrestling. We have league matches ahead, and we will wrestle to honor this belt. We have four league matches left. We are at the top of the points ranking in most of them. Hopefully, we will have a good run in all four matches and I want to become the champion in the 2025 CW Energy Turkey Oil Wrestling League."
'NO ONE HAS WON THE BELT THREE TIMES IN A ROW SINCE 1998'
Okulu reminded that İbrahim Türkiş, the president of the Turkish Traditional Wrestling Federation, set a reward for the wrestler who wins without going to scoring after the quarter-finals for encouragement. After the quarter-finals, he explained that only he won without scoring among the 8 wrestlers, saying, "Our president made us happy by raising the prize a bit more. I thank my president."
Okulu also conveyed his get well wishes to Yusuf Can Zeybek, who burned his golden belt, stating, "The stress of the belt is not easy. After winning the belt for two years, it will be even harder in the third year. Even though we are this experienced with a single belt, there is a certain excitement when entering the Kırkpınar arena. I can't imagine Yusuf's excitement. No one has won the belt three times in a row since 1998. Our Turkish Traditional Wrestling Federation will make a rule change in 2026, stating that they will give the belt permanently to anyone who wins the belt for five years, even if it is in separate years. It has been three years for me. I want to win it two more times and become the permanent owner of the golden belt."
Stating that the Yörüks in Antalya show interest in oil wrestling and that he is also a Yörük, Okulu mentioned that he will work to bring the belt to Antalya as a permanent owner. Orhan Okulu added that he dedicated the golden belt he won this year to the martyrs.
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