Mehmet Çoban (wrestler)

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Mehmet Çoban (Koç Çoban Mehmet; * 1905 in Balıkesir , † 1969 in Istanbul ) was a Turkish wrestler . He won a bronze medal in the heavyweight division at the European Championships in 1938 in the Greco-Roman style and at the European Championships in 1946 in the free style .

Career

Mehmet Çoban came to the traditional Turkish oil wrestling match as a teenager . His talent for classic wrestling soon became apparent. He therefore became a member of the then best Turkish wrestling club, Istanbul Güres Îhtisas Kulübü . As an adult, Mehmet Çoban was over 1.80 meters tall and weighed around 100 kg and always started in the heavyweight division. Although the oil wrestling, from which he came from, is actually more related to freestyle wrestling, Mehmet Çoban wrestled in both styles (Greco-Roman and free style) and was also successful in both styles. Between 1928 and 1947 he was a total of 19 Turkish champions.

In 1927 he also appeared on the international wrestling mat for the first time. He started at the European Championships in Budapest in the Greco-Roman style and defeated Edmond Dame from France in the heavyweight division , but lost to Willi Müller from Germany and Johan Richthoff from Sweden, who were far superior to him in international experience. He finally finished 4th at this European Championship.

In 1928 Mehmet Çoban represented the Turkish colors at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam. He won there over J. Briola from Argentina and Emil Larsen from Denmark, but lost to Georg Gehring from Germany and Hjalmar Nyström from Finland. With these results he finished 7th.

For several years after 1928, Turkish wrestlers did not appear on international wrestling mats. Exceptions were the Balkan Championships, where Mehmet Çoban won in 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937 and 1940. Individual results from these championships are not known.

In 1934, the top Finnish wrestler Onni Pellinen was coached by the Turkish Wrestling Association. With him and with some young Turkish coaches, Nuri Boytorun is mentioned here, Turkish wrestling then took an unexpected boom.

In September 1935 there were three international matches between Turkey and Austria in Istanbul. In two of these international matches, Mehmet Çoban stood on the mat and defeated Eduard Schöll from the SV Wien police on points.

In 1936 Turkey competed with a full team at the Olympic Games in Berlin. Mehmet Çoban wrestled there both in the free and in the Greco-Roman style. In the free style he won his first fight over Léon Charlier from Belgium and then lost to Georg Gehring and Kristjan Palusalu from Estonia. He took 8th place in this style. He did much better in the Greco-Roman style. He won here over Aleardo Donati from Italy and Peter Larsen from Denmark and lost to Hjalmar Nyström and Kristjan Palusalu. In the final bill he just missed a medal in this style with 4th place.

In 1938 Mehmet Çoban started at the European Championships in Tallinn in the Greco-Roman style. He won there over Peter Larsen and Karl Ehret from Germany, lost to Johannes Kotkas from Estonia and John Nyman from Sweden and thus won a bronze medal.

Before the Second World War, Mehmet Çoban also took part in the European Championship in the Greco-Roman style in Oslo in 1939. He lost his first fight there against John Nyman, then won over Peter Larsen and Gyula Bóbis from Hungary and lost to Johannes Kotkas. He came 4th in Oslo.

In 1946 Mehmet Çoban, already over 40 years old, also competed in the first European championship after the Second World War in Stockholm. He won there in free style over Charles Istaz from Belgium and Josef Růžička from Czechoslovakia and lost to Bertil Antonsson from Sweden and Willy Lardon from Switzerland. Behind these two wrestlers, he took 3rd place and won a bronze medal again.

Then he ended his wrestling career.

Mehmet Çoban was without a doubt one of the outstanding pioneers of modern Turkish wrestling.

International success

year space competition style Weight class Results
1927 4th EM in Budapest GR Heavy after a victory over Edmond Dame, France and defeats against Willi Müller, Germany and Johan Richthoff , Sweden
1928 7th OS in Amsterdam GR Heavy after victories over J. Briola, Argentina and Emil Larsen, Denmark and defeats against Georg Gehring , Germany and Hjalmar Nyström , Finland
1936 8th. OS in Berlin F. Heavy after a victory over Léon Charlier, Belgium and defeats against Georg Gehring and Kristjan Palusalu , Estonia
1936 4th OS in Berlin GR Heavy after victories over Aleardo Donati, Italy and Peter Larsen, Denmark and defeats against Hjalmar Nyström and Kristjan Palusalu
1938 3. EM in Tallinn GR Heavy after victories over Peter Larsen and Karl Ehret, Germany and defeats against Johannes Kotkas , Estonia and John Nyman , Sweden
1939 4th EM in Oslo GR Heavy after a defeat against John Nyman, victories over Peter Larsen and Gyula Bóbis , Hungary and a defeat against Johannes Kotkas
1946 3. EM in Stockholm F. Heavy after victories over Charles Istaz, Belgium and Josef Růžička , Czechoslovakia and defeats against Bertil Antonsson , Sweden and Willy Lardon , Switzerland
Explanations
  • GR = Greco-Roman style, F = free style
  • OS = Olympic Games, EM = European Championship
  • Heavy weight, at that time over 87 kg body weight

literature

  • Athletics magazine
  • Documentation of FILA's international Wrestling Championships 1896 to 1976, 1976

Web links