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Turkish wrestler Fazlı Eryılmaz targets an Olympic medal at Los Angeles 2028
Fazlı Eryılmaz, who won the 75-kilogram gold medal at the Keçiören Senior Karakucak Wrestling World Championship in Ankara, is targeting a medal at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The national wrestler, who trains for 5–6 hours a day, also lists world and European titles among his career goals.
Twenty-nine-year-old Fazlı Eryılmaz, who comes from a family with many wrestlers, began wrestling at the age of 12 after relatives encouraged him to take part in the trials held at the Tokat Wrestling Training Center.
After achieving national results in the youth categories, Eryılmaz was selected for the national team in the junior and U23 categories. The national wrestler also won medals at international events in the senior category, taking bronze in the 74-kilogram division at the 2020 Individual Wrestling World Cup and the 2021 World Wrestling Championships.
Eryılmaz also won a bronze medal in the 74-kilogram division at the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games, held in Konya in 2022.
World title in Karakucak wrestling
The national wrestler competed in the 75-kilogram division at this year's Keçiören Senior Karakucak Wrestling World Championship in Ankara. Eryılmaz defeated Azerbaijan's Omar Gulmammadov in the final to win the gold medal.
Eryılmaz, who competes for Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor, said he trains in two sessions, in the morning and evening. The national wrestler said he trains for 5–6 hours a day and has never considered giving up, adding that quitting was not an option because he has goals.
Family wrestlers became role models
Eryılmaz said athletes in his family played an important role in his decision to take up wrestling, noting that his father, uncle, grandfather, maternal uncle and older brothers had all wrestled. The national wrestler said he turned to the sport by taking the wrestlers in his family as role models.
Eryılmaz said winning the world title in Karakucak wrestling held great meaning for him, adding that he was moved when the Turkish national anthem was played after his victory.
Target: Los Angeles 2028
Eryılmaz said the biggest goal of his career is to become an Olympic champion. The national wrestler said he wants to win a championship for his country and bring home an Olympic medal at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Eryılmaz said he also aims to win a European title in addition to a world title, emphasizing the great importance these achievements hold for them.
Eryılmaz, who competed for İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor for approximately 12 years, said he was delighted to win a world title during his first period after transferring to Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor.
Enes Uslu, a member of the Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor board, said Eryılmaz is one of the important athletes in Turkish wrestling. Uslu said Eryılmaz became champion in the 75-kilogram division at the Karakucak Wrestling World Championship, which he entered approximately one month after the transfer.
Uslu said their main goal with Eryılmaz is to begin an Olympic journey on the wrestling mat, adding that they want to move forward together on this path at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
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