Türkiye's most in-form oil wrestler, Feyzullah Aktürk, heads into the 665th Historic Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Festival determined to turn a childhood dream into reality by capturing the coveted golden belt at Sarayiçi Er Meydanı in Edirne.
The 27-year-old European freestyle wrestling champion enters the sport's most prestigious event as one of the leading contenders after a dominant start to the season. Aktürk has reached the final in all four stages of the CW Energy Oil Wrestling League and won three of them, establishing himself as one of the men to beat when the competition begins July 3-5.
Representing ASKİ Sports Club, Aktürk has spent recent weeks sharpening his preparations in Ankara, where confidence within the team is growing ahead of what wrestlers often describe as the "Olympics of oil wrestling."
Despite his impressive form, Aktürk insists his focus remains firmly on Kırkpınar rather than individual accolades elsewhere.
"Edirne is our priority," he said. "It's a place we've been coming to since childhood. Ever since we were young, we dreamed of wearing that golden belt. Now we feel closer than ever to achieving it."
