Centuries-old tradition: The 673rd Historical Elmalı Oil Wrestling Competition continues in Antalya
The Historical Elmalı Oil Wrestling Competition, where famous wrestlers have been wearing kispets since 1352, will be held on September 5-7 at the Recep Gürbüz Field in the Elmalı district of Antalya.
In the organization, more than 70 wrestlers including Orhan Okulu, the head wrestler of the 664th Historical Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling, Enes Doğan, the last head wrestler of Elmalı Oil Wrestling, as well as Ali Gürbüz, Feyzullah Aktürk, İsmail Balaban, Yusuf Can Zeybek, Mehmet Yeşil Yeşil, Mustafa Taş, and over 1,500 athletes will be wearing kispets.
AHMET TAŞI AND ORHAN SCHOOL MAKE THEIR MARK Elmalı wrestling has recently been marked by the living legend of Turkish oil wrestling, Ahmet Taşçı, and Orhan Okulu, the pride of Antalya with its championships in 654, 657, 664 Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling. Ahmet Taşçı broke the record by winning 5 consecutive times in the Historical Elmalı Oil Wrestling, while Orhan Okulu managed to break the record by becoming the head wrestler for 6 consecutive times.
His school also stands out as the closest to the championship in the 2025 CW Energy Turkey Oil Wrestling League.
The Historical Elmalı Oil Wrestling Tournament also constitutes the final stage of the league.
IT WAS THE SCENE OF A RARELY COMPETITION The 666th of the historical Elmalı Oil Wrestling Series witnessed a rare competition in the battlefields on September 9, 2018. Known as the "Yellow Storm", Antalya wrestler İsmail Balaban faced his fellow countryman and fellow Kırkpınar chief wrestler Ali Gürbüz in the semi-finals. In the highly competitive match that lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes, İsmail Balaban's father Hasan and grandfather Mehmet Balaban came to the battlefield and demanded that the wrestling be ended. Despite the families' intervention, İsmail Balaban continued to wrestle and defeated Ali Gürbüz.
After a tough fight, İsmail Balaban, who made it to the finals, had to withdraw from the competition due to cramps and injury caused by extreme fatigue, and Orhan Okulu won the title of chief wrestler.
HISTORY OF ELMALI OIL WRESTLING
The historic Elmalı Oil Wrestling Championships are Türkiye's oldest wrestling event, dating back to 1352 and listed in Ottoman archives. The wrestling area listed in the Toramanlar Foundation records demonstrates that this tradition has been maintained in Elmalı for centuries. Also mentioned in Evliya Çelebi's Book of Travels, the wrestling competitions are now included in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Elmalı Wrestling has become a prominent event not only for sports but also for cultural contributions to the region. Proceeds from the wrestling competition have supported the construction of many important structures, including Elmalı High School, the State Hospital, sports facilities, and a museum.
Held annually during the first week of September, the event boasts a festive atmosphere, featuring fairs, exhibitions, and concerts. Elmalı Wrestling, considered one of the oldest sporting legacies of the Oghuz tribes that migrated to Anatolia, has been bringing together wrestling enthusiasts for centuries and passing them on to future generations.
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