Fazlı Eryılmaz targets Olympic medal in Los Angeles 2028

Fazlı Eryılmaz, a national wrestler, has set his sights on winning a medal for Turkey at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after securing a gold medal in the 75kg category at the Keçiören Senior Karakucak Wrestling World Championship held in Ankara.

The 29-year-old athlete, who comes from a family with many wrestlers, began his journey in the sport at the age of 12. Guided by his relatives, he participated in selections at the Tokat Wrestling Education Center. Eryılmaz achieved national recognition in junior categories and was selected for the national team in youth and junior divisions. He has since earned medals in international senior competitions.

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We train 5-6 hours a day. I have never thought of giving up. Because I always have a goal, the word 'give up' does not exist for me.

Eryılmaz secured bronze medals in the 74kg category at the 2020 Individual Wrestling World Cup and the 2021 World Wrestling Championship. He also won a bronze medal in the 74kg category at the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya in 2022. This year, he competed in the Keçiören Senior Karakucak Wrestling World Championship in Ankara, defeating Azerbaijan's Omar Gulmammadov in the final to claim the gold medal in the 75kg division.

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If it's destined, my first goal is to win the championship for my country at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. I want to bring an Olympic medal.

"We train 5-6 hours a day. I have never thought of giving up. Because I always have a goal, the word 'give up' does not exist for me," Eryılmaz stated, emphasizing his dedication. He expressed that winning the world championship in Karakucak wrestling holds significant meaning for him, and hearing the national anthem played in his honor was an emotional experience.

"If it's destined, my first goal is to win the championship for my country at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. I want to bring an Olympic medal," Eryılmaz declared. He also aims to win European championships. Enes Uslu, a board member of Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor, Eryılmaz's current club, expressed confidence in the wrestler's potential, stating, "Fazlı and I have the main goal of embarking on the Olympic journey on the mat. We want to walk this path with Fazlı at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics."

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Fazlı and I have the main goal of embarking on the Olympic journey on the mat. We want to walk this path with Fazlı at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.