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Hamza nib is our father, Kel Aliço, Koca Yusuf, Kurtdereli and Adalı Halil are our masters, Kırkpınar is our field of contest for brave men. We do not worry about being under; we do not feel happy for being on top; our aim is to become the wrestling champion well deservedly…
The word Pehlivan is in Persian language. Although its real meanings are courageous, bold and brave, officer, governor, big and heavy and honest people are called as Pehlivan, too.
During the times of Seljuk, the warriors who showed heroism, the wrestlers and the shooters who went big were called as Pehlivan and also this name was used for only sportsmen at the beginning of the 16th century. This usage of the word Pehlivan continued until the end of the era of Sultan Mahmut the 2nd.
The wrestlers who attend the greased wrestling contests wrestle in these categories according to their height and age.
A) Little is divided into two according to its weight and appearance:
1- Little (between 8 – 10 ages)
2- Little (between 10 – 12 ages)
B) Encouraging
12 – 14 ages
C) Very Windy (Tozkoparan)
14 – 16 ages
D) Deck Small
1- 16 – 18 ages
2- Maximum 2 years experienced in wrestling
3- Maximum 70 kg
E) Deck Medium
1- 18 – 19 ages
2- Maximum 80 kg
F) Deck Big
1- 19 – 21 ages
2- Maximum 90 kg
G) For Small Medium Small, Small Medium Big, Big Medium, Steerage, Head
if the wrestlers above 21 are less than 65 kg; with the decision of the referee committee they can only wrestle in deck big.
The award which is given to the winner in the categories except head and to the wrestlers placed is an encouraging one. The wrestler’s award may be money or horse, ox, calf or ram. In old times, the champion wrestler was given a camel; the steerage wrestler was given a bull; big-medium was given a mare and the others were given similar things.
In historical Kırkpınar wrestling, the winners in steerage ascend to champion. The winners and seconds of the others wrestle in an upper category in the historical Kırkpınar wrestling.
Head Wrestler
He is the wrestler who has won the most prestigious award of Kırkpınar and who has been the victor of the head wrestler wrestling contests. The wrestler, who receives this title, is the head wrestler of Turkey for 1 year and is awarded with the golden belt.
The wrestler that progresses to the head wrestler position three years consecutively wins the golden belt for good.
Head wrestling
Attending to Kırkpınar, the heart of the Turkish wrestling, fore playing on the field of contest for brave men and wrestling are the reasons of feeling proud for all the wrestlers. The most exciting wrestling is done during head wrestling.
The first aim of the wrestlers who will wrestle for the championship is to become the champion wrestler in Kırkpınar. But the other aim of the champion wrestler is to have the Gold Belt forever by winning the wrestling 3 years successively.
Before the Republic, the most important famous Champion Wrestlers were Kel Aliço, Koca Yusuf, Kurtdereli Mehmet, Adalı Halil.
During the time of Republic, Ali Acar in Bandırma, Hüseyin Alkaya in Tekirdağ, İbrahim Karabacak in Samsun, Aydın Demir in Karamürsel, Hüseyin Çokal in Denizli, Ahmet Taşçı in Karamürsel stand out.
Except the wrestlers who are invited and who are the winners in steerage category, the wrestlers who can cover the requirements below can attend the contests in Kırkpınar.
National wrestlers in freestyle and Greco-roman categories who can attend Kırkpınar:
- The winners of European championships in freestyle and Greco-roman style in adult wrestling as 96 kg and 120 kg.
- People who are among the first three in the world championships and the Olympics.
- The winners of the World and European championships in young freestyle as 120 kg.
The sportsmen who are allowed by the Federation Technical Committee to join the national team wrestle for the championship provided that they get permission from the Federation.
Before and after the Republic, the Champion Wrestlers in Kırkpınar year by year are these.
Recap Kara from Ünye, Ordu, who won the 643rd historical Kırkpınar championship in 2004 when he was 22, is the youngest champion wrestler in the history of Republic.
Famous Wrestlers (Pehlivans)
- 1861-1886 Gaddar Kel Aliço "Ruthless Bald Alico" (born 1845 - died
1922), champion for 26 years, left the sport after a defeat by Koca
Yusuf and became the coach of Adali Halil.
- 1887 Koca Yusuf of Sumnu / Aliço apprentice (b. 1857 Sumnu, near
Deliorman Bulgaria - d. 4th of June 1898) defeated in 1885 Kel Alico at
the Edirne Kırkpınar and got the Gold Belt. Champion for 18 years. He
defeated all the wrestling champions in Europe and went to America to
defeat Robert the Champion of America, becoming the Universal Champion
of wrestling on the 21st of May 1898. Finally, in Chicago, Yusuf
quickly defeated the famous Ed Lewis.
After that, he boarded the liner La Bourgogne for the voyage back to
France. Off Nova Scotia it hit another ship and sank, taking down 500
people including the Terrible Turk. The survivors remember Yusuf acting
"like a wild beast." With a dagger in his hand, he forced his way
through the frightened crowds waiting to board the lifeboats. By the
time he reached the rails, a fully loaded boat was already being
lowered. Ignoring the shouts of the crew, he jumped into it. His huge
weight, together with the violence of his leap, overturned the boat and
all its occupants were thrown into the sea. Yusuf, although a good
swimmer, was dragged down the weight of his 10,000 Dollar gold belt and
drowned. Note that this is just a myth and historically inaccurate.
- 1888 Adalı Halil Pehlivan / Aliço apprentice (b. 1871 Kilise
Köy,Greece - d.1926 Edirne) was buried on the special erected Pehlivan
Cemetery. At the beginning of the Edirne Kırkpınar all wrestlers and
officials go to his grave for a ceremonial prayer.
- Yusuf Pehlivan of Geçkin
- 1914 Hergeleci İbrahim (b. 1848 in Islopol Razgrad - d. 1915),
nicknamed Hergeleci as he was a trainer of wild horses, defeated Adali
Halil at the Edirne Kırkpınar and became the coach of Koca Yusuf. In
Paris, France, he wrestled with Yusuf. The match was interrupted and
never completed.
- Kara Murat of Çömlek Village
- Molla İzzet of Silivri
- Nakkaş Eyüp of Çatalca (b. Kestanelik Village near Catalca) was
nicknamed Nakkas (miniaturist) because he was very careful while
wrestling, so it was commonly said his style is that of a miniaturist.
- Yenici Mehmet
- Mahmut of Kızılcık (b. 1878 Kizilcik near Dobruca, Romania - d. 1931 Eskişehir, Turkey)
After oilwrestling-fame of being Champion at the Edirne Kırkpınar he
went to Paris where he stood undefeated after 27 wrestling matches. His
fame spread around the World and Kizilcikli Mahmut won all the
wrestling matches he fought in the USA in the years 1908, 1909, 1919
and 1922. His legendary strength is still remembered in Romania.
- Mehmet of Kurtdere
(b. 1864 in Deliorman, Bulgaria)- d.1939 Balıkesir, Turkey) wrested
with all famous wrestlers of his time and was very famous. He traveled
to France, Great Britain, The Netherlands and the USA but was never
defeated.
- Çolak Mümin Molla
( b.1873 Kavala, Greece - d.1915) became famous after he defiated Adali
Halil. There are conflicting stories about this hero of the Edirne
Kırkpınar. Mumin was called Colak for having one arm missing (or
paralyzed).
- Suyolcu Mehmet
- Benli Badullah First Champion of the Turkish Republic Era, in 1924
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