Hamza Yerlikaya is a Turkish Graeco-Roman style wrestler. He is a two-time Olympic champion, three-time World Champion, and the first Turkish wrestler to become European champion a record eight times, a feat that has since been matched by Rıza Kayaalp. He was ranked third in a list of all-time-best wrestlers by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA).
Among all sportin Turkey, the most popular one is football. Turkey's top teams include Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş. In 2000, Galatasaray won the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Two years later, the Turkish national team finished third in the 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals in Japan and South Korea, while in 2008, the national team reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Euro 2008 competition. The Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul hosted the 2005 and 2023 UEFA Champions League Final, while the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul hosted the 2009 UEFA Cup Final. Turkey will host the UEFA Euro 2032 along with Italy.
Şeref Eroğlu is a Turkish wrestler. He won 6 times in Europe (1994-1996-1998-2001-2002-2003) and once in the World (1997). At the 2004 Athens Olympics, he competed at 66 kg and won the silver medal. He served as the president of the Turkish Wrestling Federation between 2021-2024.
Nasuh Akar was a Turkish sports wrestler, who won the gold medal in the Bantamweight class of Men's Freestyle category at the 1948 Olympics.
Hamit Kaplan was a Turkish World and Olympic champion sports wrestler of Circassian descent in the Heavyweight class. He won the gold, silver and bronze medal in men's freestyle wrestling at three consecutive Olympic Games in 1956, 1960 and 1964.
Müzahir Sille was a Turkish Olympic champion sports wrestler in the Featherweight class and a trainer. He won the gold medal in Men's Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1960 Olympics.
Hasan Güngör was a middleweight Turkish wrestler and a wrestling coach. He won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics and a silver medal at the 1964 Olympics,as well as multiple medals at the World, European and Balkan championships.
İsmet Atlı was a Turkish Olympic medalist sports wrestler in the Light heavyweight class and a trainer. He won the gold medal in Men's Freestyle wrestling at the 1960 Olympics.
Kazım Ayvaz was a Turkish Olympic medalist sports wrestler in the lightweight class and a trainer. He won the gold medal in Men's Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1964 Olympics and became world champion twice.
Mijaín López Núñez is a Cuban retired Greco-Roman wrestler. Widely considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, López is a five-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time World Champion, for a total of 10 world gold medals, and a five-time Pan American Games champion. He is the younger brother of Michel López Núñez, a Cuban amateur boxer. López was Cuba's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, and one of the country's flag bearers at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Tamer Balcı, also known as Toma Balcı, was a Turkish sportsman and film actor of Greek descent. Balcı is considered to be the best hammer thrower of the country from 1940 to 1955 as he set the national record 11 times and was a 15-time national champion. He was a non-starter in the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics while representing Turkey. He started his acting career in 1951 and appeared in 24 movies, including as Tarzan in Tarzan İstanbul'da (1952).
Rıza Kayaalp is a five-time world champion and twelve-time European level champion Turkish wrestler competing in the 130 kg division of Greco-Roman wrestling. He won silver at the 2016 Summer Olympics and won bronze medals at the 2012 and 2020 Summer Olympics. He is a graduate of the Aksaray University Physical Education and Sports Academy and studies his master's degree at Bozok University.
Travis Cross is an amateur Canadian freestyle wrestler, who played for the men's light heavyweight category. He qualified for the 84 kg class in men's freestyle wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing by finishing eighth from the 2007 World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. He is also a three-time Canadian national wrestling champion.
Dániel Ligeti is an amateur Hungarian freestyle wrestler, who competes in the men's super heavyweight category. He won the bronze medal for his division at the 2011 European Wrestling Championships in Dortmund, Germany, and silver at the 2012 European Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. Ligeti stands 1.92 metres tall and weighs 115 kilograms (254 lb). He is also currently a member of TuS Adelhausen in Rheinfelden, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and is coached by Istvan Gulyas from the national wrestling team.
Yekta Yılmaz Gül is a Turkish professional Greco-Roman wrestler, who competed for the men's 120 kg division. He is a member of the İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi S.K. Gül studied at Niğde University.
Dauren Khalidovich Kurugliev is a Russian-born Greek freestyle wrestler, naturalized as a Greek citizen before competing in the Olympic Games Paris 2024. He is the 2019 European Games gold medalist, a 3x European champion and a 2024 Olympic bronze medalist.
Soner Demirtaş is a Turkish freestyle wrestler who competes in the 74 kg division. He won the European title in 2016, 2017 and 2018. He was bronze medalist at the Rio Olympics. He is a member of the Ankara ASKI.
Metehan Başar is a twice world-champion Turkish wrestler competing in the 85 kg division of Greco-Roman wrestling. He is a member of the İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi S.K.
Sabahattin Öztürk is a Turkish wrestler. He won the gold medal 1993 World Wrestling Championships. He competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics and the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Pool Edison Ambrocio Greifo is a Peruvian wrestler. In March 2020, he won the silver medal in the freestyle 86 kg event at the 2020 Pan American Wrestling Championships held in Ottawa, Canada.
