Orhan Okulu Becomes the Eternal Owner of the Golden Belt

Despite the difficult weather conditions, Bilal Erdoğan, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation, who participated in the 666th Elmalı Yeşilyayla Oil Wrestling, where CW Enerji CEO Tarık Sarvan was the wrestling squire, put on the golden belt of Orhan Okulu, who became the chief wrestler for the 6th time.

At the 666th Elmalı Oil Wrestling, Bilal Erdoğan, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation, put on the golden belt of Orhan Okulu, who became the chief wrestler for the 6th time in a row. Organised by Antalya Metropolitan Municipality and Elmalı Municipality in Elmalı district of Antalya, this year's 666th Historical Elmalı Yeşilyayla Oil Wrestling Wrestling attracted great attention despite the difficult weather conditions. More than 70 head wrestlers and more than 1,500 wrestlers from various regions wrestled in the 3-day competitions held in Elmalı Recep Gürbüz Wrestling Field, known as the ‘first arena’ of the Turkish ancestral sport wrestling. İsmail Balaban and Ali Gürbüz, Orhan Okulu and Nedim Gürel faced each other in the semi-finals of the wrestling matches. In the fierce competitions, Orhan Okulu defeated Nedim Gürel and reached the final. The other head wrestlers İsmail Balaban and Ali Gürbüz fought for 2 hours and 5 minutes and İsmail Balaban defeated Ali Gürbüz. Orhan Okulu and İsmail Balaban met in the final match. Orhan Okulu, who defeated İsmail Balaban, became Başpehlivan again and increased his unbeaten streak to 6. With this result, Orhan Okulu became the sole owner of the record he shared with Ahmet Taşçı, who became the chief wrestler 5 times in a row in Elmalı. İsmail Balaban and Ali Gürbüz and Nedim Güler came second and third respectively.

An award ceremony was organised after the final bout. Orhan Okulu, who won the title of chief wrestler for the 6th time in a row, second İsmail Balaban, third Ali Gürbüz and Nedim Gürel received their awards from Bilal Erdoğan, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation, Antalya Governor Münir Karaloğlu, General Director of Security Celal Uzunkaya, Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Menderes Türel, General Director of Sports Mehmet Baykan, President of the Turkish Wrestling Federation Musa Aydın and 664. 665th 666th Elmalı Yeşilyayla Oil Wrestling Aga Tarık Savan gave the award. Despite the difficult weather conditions, Bilal Erdoğan, President of the World Ethnosport Confederation, who attended the 666th Elmalı Yeşilyayla Oil Pehlivan Wrestling, where CW Enerji CEO Tarık Sarvan was the wrestling squire, congratulated Orhan Okulu, who became the chief wrestler for the 6th time, by wearing his golden belt.

Answering the questions of the journalists after the ceremony, Okulu stated that he went to the wrestling arena in Elmalı with the goal of winning the golden belt and said, ‘I reached the final and came first and became the eternal owner of the golden belt. I am proud. I dedicate the belt I won in Elmalı to all the Antalians and martyrs.’

CW Enerji CEO Tarık Savan, the Aga of the 664th, 665th, 666th Elmalı Yeşilyayla Oil Wrestling, underlined that they continue to protect the ancestral sport of wrestling with the awareness of social responsibility and said, ‘I sincerely congratulate Orhan Okulu, who won the golden belt, and thank him for giving Antalya this honour. I would like to thank all our athletes, coaches and sports fans who sweat with the effort to leave our ancestral sport wrestling to future generations as a cultural heritage.’