Tell us how did you come to armwrestling and why did you choose it?
– I was interested in armwrestling since my childhood. I was armwrestling with people who are older than me. I had worked in hard jobs since my childhood. My first tournament was a high school city championships in Istanbul and I won. Our president Niyazi Kurt saw me and started to teach me how to armwrestle. With time I became his fan and I wanted to be like him and dreamt to be bring my flag to the top and play my national anthem. So in short I started armwrestling to make my dreams come true.
How long have you been doing armwrestling? What are your best results?
– I started armwrestling in 2012 and my first competetion was in 2013. My best results are as follows: 3rd place in youth at Europeans-2014, 1st place left hand and 2nd right hand in youth at Europeans-2015, 2nd place right and left at Worlds-2015, 1st place right hand at Zloty Tur-2017.
In training, do you prefer working with iron or at a table?
– I train in gym 6 times a week. After weight lifting I also train the same areas at the table. I train body building type exercises together with armwrestling. I also prefer to pull long table training on Sundays.
- You were on the Zloty Tur for the first time, what can you say about the tournament as an event?
Zloty Tur was the best organization that I have ever competed in my life. My heart started to be faster and I got so excited once I entered to the competition venue. Lights, the cameras by the table in the finals, the short videos of the famous armwrestlers, and music are the result of a well thought organization. I thank you for letting us to experience such a great atmosphere.
- You won in one of the strongest category, which of your rivals would you mention? Who was the most difficult for you?
Zloty Tur is already a very hard tournament for me and my category also had tough pullers such as other categories. All of my opponents were deserving to be in such event. None of my opponents were weak, all of them were very strong but to me the strongest one was the Simenov from Bulgaria who won the 80kg WAF only 2 months before the Zloty. Also my opponent in the final the Kazakh puller Shamiev who beats up to 100kg kg top pullers was very strong.
- You did not have the biggest team, but all performed well, are you satisfied with the performance of your team?
Our team competed very well. My trainer Arif Ertem who could not continue pull because of his injury. I would wish him to become champion as well. Because we train together and he is strong, I would wish him to win as much as my own self. One of my trainers Sahip Caglar could not participate but I would wish him to compete as well. I liked the performance of Engin Terzi who motivates us in the team. I saw that he got hurt, I believe he had chance to win if the injury did not happen. He has been injured all over but still good enough to compete against the young guys.
- Will Zloty Tur be for you a regular tournament? Will you come next year?
I loved Zloty Tur and I would always want to pull there. If our federation sees me good enough to be part of the team then I would not even think twice to compete.
Special thanks to Engin Terzi.