Şeref Eroğlu

Şeref Eroğlu (born November 25, 1975 in Kahramanmaraş ) is a former Turkish wrestler . He won a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games and was once world and six times European champion in the Greco-Roman style in three different weight classes.

Career

Şeref Eroğlu began wrestling as a teenager in Sivas . He focused entirely on the Greco-Roman style. He later moved to the Konya Seker Spor sports club and the Istanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor sports club . During his long career he was trained mainly by Erdogan Koca, Mustafa Boylu and Sedat Ücüncü. After the end of his active time he worked as a sports official in the Turkish Wrestling Association.

His international wrestling career began in 1990 with a victory at the Junior World Championships (Cadets) in Szombathely, where he won in the weight class up to 40 kg. A year later he was second winner at the Junior World Championship (Cadets) in Alma / Canada in the weight class up to 47 kg behind the Poland Piotr Jablonski and in the same year at the Junior World Championship (Juniors) in Barcelona in the weight class up to 46 kg took third place. In 1992 he became world champion again in Cali / Colombia in the junior age group "Juniors" in the weight class up to 54 kg in front of the Cuban Rudy Lara Valle. In 1993 he won a bronze medal in bantamweight at the Junior World Championships for the "Espoirs" age group in Székesfehérvár . In 1994 he was in Istanbul Junior European Champion (Espoirs) in bantamweight in front of Armen Mkrtchyan II, Armenia and Maxim Starodubzew, Russia. He also won his last start in the junior division. He was in 1995 in Tehran in the bantamweight junior world champion (Espoirs) before Matyas Megyes from Hungary. In the junior division, Şeref Eroğlu won a total of seven medals at international championships.

In 1994 he started at an international senior championship. He was European bantamweight champion in Athens ahead of Aristides Arutik Rubenjan, Greece and Marian Sandu , Romania. At the World Championships this year in Tampere, he finished 5th. He was also used at the World Championships in Prague in 1995, but disappointed there and only came in 14th place in the bantamweight division. For this he secured the title again at the European Bantamweight Championships in Budapest in 1996, ahead of Marian Sandu, the former world champion Rıfat Yıldız from Germany and Alexander Ignatenko from Russia. In 1996 he also started at the Olympic Games for the first time. In Atlanta he had to admit defeat to Dennis Hall from the United States and Kenkichi Nishimi from Japan and therefore only came in 17th place.

In 1997, Şeref Eroğlu switched to featherweight . At his first start in this class he won the European Championships in Kouvola / Finland over Akaki Chachua, Georgia, Aristides Arutik Rubenjan and Michael Beilin , Israel, but had to admit defeat to the Russian Nikolai Monow in the final and was therefore vice-European champion. He was even more successful at this year's World Cup in Wrocław, where he managed to become world champion with victories over Vladimir Tatarski, Yugoslavia, Kim Kyung-jung, South Korea, Bachodir Kurbanow, Uzbekistan, Włodzimierz Zawadzki , Poland, and Nikolai Monow.

In 1998 it was almost as successful. He first won his third European title in Minsk with victories over Leonhard Ionel Frincu, Romania, Peter Ronai, Hungary, Oleg Litwinenko, Ukraine and Nikolai Monow, and then he missed the World Cup in Gaevle / Sweden by a narrow point defeat in the final against Mchitar Manukjan , Kazakhstan, just barely his second world title. Before this final defeat he had defeated Ahad Pazaj, Iran, Sewket Karapinar, Germany, Michael Beilin and Peter Ronai. Also in 1999 Şeref Eroğlu won two medals at the international championships, but he did not win any title. At the European Championships this year in Sofia he was defeated in the semifinals against Wlodzimierz Zawadzki, but was able to get a bronze medal by defeating Christos Gikos, Greece. At the 1999 World Championships in Athens he defeated Yasutoshi Motoki, Japan, Peter Georg Philippitsch, Austria, Riccardo Magni, Italy, Nikolei Monow, Eduard Aplevich, Belarus and Michael Beilin, but lost again in the final against Mkchitar Manukjan and thus became vice world champion.

In 2000, Şeref Eroğlu concentrated entirely on the Olympic Games in Sydney. But there he lost his first fight against Warteres Samurgaschew from Russia and was only able to secure 10th place with a victory in his next fight over Wlodzimierz Zawadzki (1996 Olympic champion), in accordance with the then strange regulations. In 2001 he was European champion again in Istanbul ahead of Temur Tehumow, Russia, Wlodzimierz Zawadzki and Nikolai Gergow, Bulgaria. At the World Cup this year in Patras / Greece he again defeated Wlodzimierz Zawadzki, but then surprisingly lost to the Hungarian Levente Füredy , was eliminated and only came in 16th place.

In 2002 he switched to the lightweight . He was immediately successful in this weight class and won his fourth European title in Seinäjoki / Finland. On the way to this success he defeated Waghinak Galstjan, Armenia, Adrian Ozsda Cosmin, Romania, Maxim Semjonow, Russia, Michael Beilin and Manuchar Kffektwelia from Georgia. The World Cup in Moscow was disappointing for him again, because after winning two fights he lost to Mahdi Chodaee, Iran and therefore only came in 11th place.

In 2003, Şeref Eroğlu became European champion again in Belgrade with victories over Fərid Mansurov , Azerbaijan, Vyacheslav Maslobojew, Latvia, Manuchar K Wirkwelia, Eduard Aplewich and Armen Wardanjan , Ukraine. At the 2003 World Cup in Créteil, however, he again missed a medal because he lost to Manuchar K Wirkwelia after winning three fights. He came in 5th place.

In 2004 he concentrated again entirely on the Olympic Games, which took place in Athens. He first achieved victories over Manuchar K Wirkwelia, Fernando Iwquierdo Martinez, Spain and Mkchitar Manukjan. But Fərid Mansurov botched his dream of the gold medal, who defeated him in the final on points and thus relegated to 2nd place.

In the following years, he started until 2008, he was nowhere near as successful at the international championships as in previous years. He only managed to win a medal in 2006 at the European Championships in Moscow with third place. He did relatively well with a 5th place at the 2006 World Cup in Guangzhou, where he defeated three strong wrestlers with Ali Esmaeil Mohammadi , Iran, Artan Harutjunjan, Armenia and Tamás Lőrincz , Hungary, but against Kanatbek Begalijew , Russia and Justin Harry Lester , United States, lost. In 2008 he qualified again for participation in the Olympic Games, his fourth. In Beijing he lost his first fight against Nikolai Gergow and was eliminated and only finished 17th.

After these games Şeref Eroğlu ended his active time. In his career he has won eleven titles and 20 medals at international championships in total, junior and senior classes.

International success

year	space	competition	Weight class	Results
1990	1.	Junior World Championships (Cadets) in Szombathely	up to 40 kg	before Gabor Südi and Gabor Szalei, bde. Hungary
1991	2.	Junior World Championships (Cadets) in Alma / Canada	up to 47 kg	behind Piotr Jablonski, Poland, in front of Chad Kime, USA and Gabor Szalai
1991	3.	Junior World Championships (Juniors) in Barcelona	up to 46 kg	behind Ibad Akhmedow, USSR and Grzegorz Malkowski, Poland
1992	1.	Junior World Championships (Juniors) in Cali / Colombia	up to 54 kg	in front of Rudy Lara Valle, Cuba, Kim Chul-tae, South Korea and István Majoros , Hungary
1992	4th	World Cup (Juniors / Espoirs) in Kungsbacka / Sweden	Bantam	behind Dalibor Vit, Czechoslovakia, Jörg Wölfelschneider, Germany and Joakim Söderman, Sweden
1992	5.	Junior European Championship (Espoirs) in Székesfehérvár	Bantam	behind Assaf Gadschijew, Russia, Marian Sandu, Romania, Mose Schaknelidze, Georgia and Sigmunds Jansons, Latvia
1993	3.	Mediterranean Games in Languedoc-Roussillon	Bantam	behind Mohamed Nader Al Sibai, Syria and Ahmed Magdy, Egypt
1993	3.	Junior World Championships (Espoirs) in Athens	Bantam	behind Matyas Megyes, Hungary and Naconas Uschmanow, Uzbekistan
1994	1.	EM in Athens	Bantam	before Aristides Arutik Rubenjan, Greece, Marian Sandu and Ruslan Chakimow, Ukraine
1994	1.	Junior European Championship (Espoirs) in Istanbul	Bantam	in front of Armen Mkrtchyan II, Armenia, Maxim Starodubzew, Russia and Federico Primello, Italy
1994	5.	World Cup in Tampere	Bantam	behind Yuri Melnichenko , Kazakhstan, Alexander Ignatenko, Russia, Dennis Hall, USA and Mikael Lindgren , Sweden
1995	1.	German Grand Prix in Koblenz	feather	in front of Artur Alexanian, Germany, Bachodir Kurbanow, Uzbekistan and Mario Büttner, Germany
1995	1.	Junior World Championships (Espoirs) in Tehran	feather	before Matyas Megyes, Koorosh Zare, Iran and Andrei Schuk, Ukraine
1995	14th	World Cup in Prague	Bantam	Winner: Dennis Hall ahead of Yuri Melnichenko and Alexander Ignatenko
1996	1.	EM in Budapest	Bantam	before Marian Sandu, Rifat Yildiz, Germany and Alexander Ignatenko
1996	17th	OS in Atlanta	Bantam	after losing to Dennis Hall and Kenkichi Nishimi, Japan
1997	2.	EM in Kouvola / Finland	feather	after victories over Akaki Chachua, Geos Aratik Rubanian, Greece and Michael Beilin, Israel and a defeat against Nikolai Monow, Russia
1997	1.	World Cup in Wrocław	feather	after victories over Vladimir Tatarski, Yugoslavia, Kim Kyung-jung, South Korea, Bachodir Kurbanow, Wlodzimierz Zawadzki, Poland, and Nikolai Monow
1998	2.	Intern. Tournament in Faenza	feather	behind Juan Luis Maren Delis , Cuba, in front of Luis Miguel Fontes Tavares da Cunha, Portugal and Michael Beilin
1998	1.	EM in Minsk	feather	after victories over Leonhard Ionel Frincu, Romania, Peter Vonai, Hungary, Oleg Litwinenko, Ukraine and Nikolai Monow
1998	1.	Universities World Cup in Ankara	feather	before Jerzy Szeibinger, Poland and Sergei Kowalenko , Russia
1998	2.	World Cup in Gaivle / Sweden	feather	after victories over Ahad Pazaj, Iran, Sewket Karapinar, Germany, Michael Beilin and Peter Ronai and a defeat against Mkchitar Manukjan, Kazakhstan
1999	3.	EM in Sofia	feather	after victories over Leonhard Ionel Frincu, Wladimir Tatarski and Emil Budinow, Bulgaria, a defeat against Wlodzimierz Zawadzki and a victory over Christos Gikos, Greece
1999	2.	World Cup in Athens	feather	after victories over Yasutoshi Motoki, Japan, Peter Georg Philippitsch, Austria, Riccardo Magni, Italy, Nikolai Monow, Eduard Aplevich, Belarus and Michael Beilin and a defeat against Mkchitar Manukjan
2000	10.	OS in Sydney	feather	after a loss to Warteres Samurgaschew and a victory over Wlodzimierz Zawadzki
2000	1.	Military World Cup in Camp Lejeune / USA	feather	in front of Sarkis Elgkian, Greece and Glen Nieradka, USA
2001	1.	EM in Istanbul	feather	in front of Temur Tehumow, Russia, Wlodzimierz Zawadzki and Nikolai Gergow, Bulgaria
2001	1.	World Cup in Levallois	feather	before Kevin Bracken, USA and Nikolai Monow
2001	16.	World Cup in Patras	feather	after defeating Wlodzimierz Zawadzki and losing to Levente Füredy, Hungary
2002	1.	EM in Seinäjoki / Finland	Light	after victories over Waghinak Galstjan, Armenia, Adrian Ozsda Cosmin, Romania, Maxcim Semenow, Russia, Michael Meilin and Manuchar Kffektwelia, Georgia
2002	3.	German Grand Prix in Dortmund	Light	behind Jimmy Samuelsson , Sweden and Juan Luis Maren Delis
2002	11.	World Cup in Moscow	Light	after victories over Michael Beilin and Ivan Kron, Switzerland and a defeat against Mahdi Chodaee, Iran
2003	1.	EM in Belgrade	Light	after victories over Fərid Mansurov, Azerbaijan, Vyacheslav Maslobojew, Latvia, Manuchar K Wirkwelia, Eduard Aplevich and Armen Wardanjan, Ukraine
2003	5.	World Cup in Créteil	Light	after victories over Sergei Kuntarjew, Russia, Olavi Suislep, Estonia and Moises Sanchez Parra, Spain and a defeat against Manuchar Kffektwelia
2004	6th	German Grand Prix in Dortmund	Light	Winner: Maxim Semenov ahead of Yuri Kaliaschnew, Belarus
2004	silver	OS in Athens	Light	after victories over Manuchar K Wirkwelia, Luis Fernando Iwquierdo Martinez, Kuba and Mkchitar Manukjan and a defeat against Fərid Mansurov
2005	1.	Poland Open in Walbrzych	Light	in front of Park Eun-chul , South Korea, Shingo Hirai, Japan and Im Dae-won, South Korea
2005	1.	Hungarian Open in Szombathely	Light	before M. Magomadow and Ambako Watschadze, both Russia
2005	17th	EM in Varna	Light	after losing to Ari Härkänen , Finland
2005	8th.	German Grand Prix in Dortmund	Light	Winner: Alain Milián , Cuba, ahead of Eduard Kratz, Germany
2005	22nd	World Cup in Budapest	Light	after a loss to Michael Beilin
2006	4th	World Cup in Budapest	Light	behind Sergei Kowalenko, Alain Milian and Yoon Jong-kyu, South Korea
2006	3.	EM in Moscow	Light	after victories over Wahram Hunanjan, Armenia and Nikolai Gergow, a defeat against Tamás Lőrincz, Hungary and victories over Tiziano Corriga, Italy and Sylwester Charzewski, Poland
2006	5.	World Cup in Guangzhou	Light	after victories over Ali Esmaeil Mohammadi, Iran, Artak Harutjunjan, Armenia and Tamás Lőrincz and defeats against Kanatbek Begalijew, Russia and Justin Harry Lester, USA
2007	3.	"Wladyslaw-Pytlasinksi" Memorial in Warsaw	Light	behind Fərid Mansurov and Armen Vardanyan
2007	2.	World Cup in Antalya	Light	behind Ali Esmaeil Mohammadi, in front of Armen Wardanyan, Justin Harry Lester and Ambako Watschadze, Russia
2007	19th	World Cup in Baku	Light	after a win over Aleksandar Maksimović, Serbia and a loss to Justin Harry Lester
2008	2.	"Vehbi-Emre" Memorial in Istanbul	Light	behind Refik Ayvazoglu and in front of Erkan Ulvan, both Turkey
2008	10.	EM in Tampere	Light	after defeating Tomasz Swierk, Poland and losing to Ruslan Belchorojew , Russia
2008	12.	Olympic qualification tournament in Rome-Ostia	Light	Winner: Sergei Kowalenko ahead of Ali Esmaeil Mohammadi
2008	1.	Olympic qualification tournament in Novi Sad	Light	before Aleksandr Kazakevič , Lithuania and Marcus Thätner , Germany
2008	2.	Dan Kolow & Nikola Petrow Memorial in Sofia	Light	behind Nikolai Gergow, in front of Plamen Petrow, Bulgaria and Ionel Puşcaşu, Romania
2008	17th	OS in Beijing	Light	after a loss to Nikolai Gergow

Explanations

• all competitions in Greco-Roman style
• OS = Olympic Games, WM = World Championships, EM = European Championships
• Weight classes: Bantam weight up to 1996 up to 57 kg, featherweight, from 1997 to 2001 up to 63 kg, lightweight, since 2002 up to 66 kg body weight

swell

• Trade journal Der Ringer
• "Foeldeak Wrestling Database" website

Web links

• Şeref Eroğlu's website
• Şeref Eroğlu in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )