A Turkish young oil wrestling sensation, Serdar Yıldırım, is gearing up for the 663rd Historical Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling, setting his sights on clinching the ultimate golden belt in the upcoming tournament.
At just 22 years old, Yıldırım, a student at the Kırkpınar Faculty of Sports Sciences Coaching Department, has earned his place among the elite 24 chief wrestlers competing directly in the head and neck category of this historic wrestling event scheduled for July 5-7.
Representing the Akyazı Municipality, Yıldırım is determined to secure the gold belt in this year's Historical Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling, a competition where he previously earned the title of "Türkiye's youngest wrestler" two years ago.
In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Serdar Yıldırım shared his wrestling journey, which began in childhood under the encouragement of his cousin, spanning an impressive 17 years in the sport.
Reflecting on his achievements, Yıldırım proudly mentioned securing the title of "Türkiye's youngest wrestler" at the 661st Traditional Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling held in 2022.
"I am proud of myself because our younger brothers are doing this job by taking me as an example. Thank God, I was granted the title of Kırkpınar chief wrestler at this age. It is not easily achieved by anyone; it is a great success," he said.
Having earned accolades in Elmalı, Kurtdereli, and Kumluca wrestling, in addition to the historical Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling, Yıldırım revealed his ambitious goal for 2024: "My goal in 2024 is to get a belt in Kırkpınar. It is the dream of every oil wrestler, first to become a chief wrestler, then to get a belt in Kırkpınar. We are grateful that we had the chance to become the chief wrestler in 2022. Hopefully, our goal is to get the belt in 2024. I hope it will be possible; I will represent Sakarya well."
Coach Mustafa Çelik, who has been working with Serdar Yıldırım since the age of 5, emphasized the wrestler's significance, stating, "Serdar Yıldırım is a trained value. He has 9 chairs in Kırkpınar." Çelik highlighted their ambitious goals for the year, underscoring their relentless dedication to achieving them.
