Ismail Haci Bekar, Türkiye's national para-wrestler, has achieved extraordinary success with both the right and left arms at the European and World Para Arm Wrestling Championships held in Moldova and Kazakhstan this year.
Bekar, just 21 years old, clinched the gold medal in the 55 kg. category on both arms, marking the pinnacle of his career thus far.
Since he first stepped into the world of arm wrestling in 2018, representing the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Kağıtspor Club, Bekar has amassed an impressive collection of over 30 medals from various competitions.
However, his ambitions extend far beyond this initial success, as he sets his sights on conquering different weight categories in the sport.
Currently, a second-year student in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Bekar shared with Anadolu Agency (AA) his journey from curiosity to national team selection in 2019, just a year after he started arm wrestling.
He reminisced about his second-place finish at the 2019 European Championships in Greece and his subsequent third-place finish at the World Championships a few months later.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bekar continued to dedicate himself to the national team, securing second place at the 2021 World Championships and repeating the feat in 2022.
The year 2023, however, witnessed a remarkable turning point in his career.
"This year, we increased our training intensity, and I gained more experience. With age, my bone and muscle structure improved. I had been chasing the world championship for years, and this year, it was finally within reach. I became the champion in both the World and European Championships on the right and left arms. After 2019, I did not participate in the European Championships, but this year, I made a comeback and emerged as the champion," Bekar said.
His dedication to the sport remains unwavering, and he aspires to represent Türkiye with distinction if arm wrestling becomes an Olympic sport.
Bekar also revealed his intentions to compete and excel in different weight categories.
"I became the European and world champion in the 55 kg. category. This year, I am considering moving up to the 60 kg. category, with the aim of achieving similar victories. Winning championships there would be a significant achievement. I plan to continue competing in different weight classes, although switching weights can be challenging in individual sports because of the presence of seasoned athletes in those categories. Nevertheless, I will give it my all," he said.
Kenan Eroğlu, the coach of Kağıtspor Club and the Para Arm Wrestling National Team, praised Ismail Haci Bekar for being not only a successful athlete but also a person of high moral character.
Eroğlu expressed pride in their athletes, who became European and world champions this year, and emphasized that their aspirations reached even higher.
He revealed that arm wrestling is on track to potentially become an Olympic sport by 2028, and he believes that Ismail has the capacity to become a champion at the Olympics.
"Currently, Ismail is our most successful athlete in arm wrestling at Kağıtspor. In terms of age and capacity, we see Ismail as our athlete closest to the Olympics. Hopefully, we will witness him as an Olympic champion and share in his joy," Eroğlu said.