Mehmet Özal

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Mehmet Özal (born October 31, 1978 in Ankara ) is a former Turkish wrestler . He became world champion in the Greco-Roman style in the light heavyweight division in 2002 .

Career

Mehmet Özal started wrestling in 1985 as a teenager. He focused on the Greco-Roman style. As a member of the Büyüksehir Beldeyesi Istanbul sports club , he was trained by Salih Yilmaz and later by Mehmet Akif Pirim . He studied sports science and was supported by the Turkish army.

In 1998 he first drew attention to himself on the international wrestling mat when he took 3rd place behind Gennadi Tschaidze from Georgia and Marek Sitnik from Poland at the University World Championships in Ankara in the light heavyweight division . He took the same place at the 2000 European Championships in Moscow, where only Sergei Lishtwan from Belarus and Gogi Koguashvili from Russia placed in front of him. At the Olympic Games 2000 he was not used because he failed in the Turkish elimination for these games at Hakki Bazaar .

In 2001 he started at the European Championships in Istanbul and came in a good 5th place there. In December 2001 he also took part in the World Cup in Patras and won a bronze medal there after victories over Sergei Lishtwan, Park Woo, South Korea and Marek Sitnik, a defeat against Ernesto Peña , Cuba and a win over Petru Sudureac , Romania. At the European Championships in 2002 in Seinäjoki / Finland he came to a victory over Gennadi Tschaidze, but lost to Marek Sitnik, which he was eliminated and only came in 14th place. It went all the better for him at the 2002 World Cup in Moscow. He won there in the light heavyweight division over Ramas Nosadze , Georgia, Georgios Koutsioubas , Greece, Alexei Tscheglakow, Uzbekistan, Ernesto Peña, Cuba and Karam Ibrahim from Egypt, whom he defeated in a turbulent final fight with 15:11 points and thus became world champion.

In 2003 Mehmet Özal was unable to build on these successes. At the European Championships in Belgrade he lost his first fight against Mindaugas Ezerskis from Lithuania and was only able to achieve 9th place even with a subsequent victory over the strong Dawid Saldadze from Ukraine. He did even worse at the World Championships in Créteil. He won there over Henri Papiaschwili from Israel and Arman Geghamjan from Georgia, but clearly lost to Karam Ibrahim with 0: 8 points. This high defeat brought him 14th place.

In 2004 Mehmet Özal qualified at a tournament in Novi Sad with a 3rd place behind Ernesto Pena and Mindaugas Ezerskis for participation in the Olympic Games in Athens. In April 2004 he lost at the European Championships in Haparanda in his first fight against Marek Švec from the Czech Republic, but then clearly won over Roman Meduna from Slovakia. According to the peculiar regulations valid at that time, he was eliminated anyway and came in 6th place. At the Olympic Games in Athens he was again in very good shape and won over Alexei Tscheglakow, Igors Kostins from Latvia and Ernesto Pena. Then he lost again clearly against Karam Mohammad Gaber Ibragim, but was able to secure an Olympic bronze medal with a victory over Masoud Hashemzadeh from Iran (3: 2 points) .

In the following years, Mehmet Özal was no longer able to take part in international championships as often because of his studies. But in 2007 he became World Military Champion in Hyderabad ahead of Georgios Konstantinidis, Greece, Mindaugas Ezerskis and Aslanbek Chuschtow from Russia. In 2008 he qualified by a 3rd place at a tournament in Rome-Ostia behind Kalojan Dinchew , Bulgaria and Lajos Virág , Hungary, once again for participation in the Olympic Games in Beijing. In Beijing he only won against Oleg Kryoka from Ukraine and was eliminated after a defeat against Mindaugas Ezerskis, which meant he only finished 11th. Then he ended his international wrestling career.

International success

year space competition Weight class Results
1998 9. Italian Grand Prix in Faenza Semi-difficult Winner: Reynaldo Rodolfo Pena Barroto , Huba ahead of Josip Pavisic, Croatia
1998 3. Universities World Cup in Ankara Semi-difficult behind Gennadi Tschaidze, Georgia and Marek Sitnik, Poland
2000 3. EM in Moscow Semi-difficult behind Sergei Lishtwan, Belarus and Georgi Koguaschwili, Russia
2000 1. Military World Cup in Camp Lejeune / USA Semi-difficult before Roman Meduna, Slovakia and Daniel Hicks, USA
2000 3. Universities World Cup in Tokyo Semi-difficult behind Marek Svec, Czech Republic and Marek Sitnik, in front of Han Tae-young, South Korea
2001 5. EM in Istanbul Semi-difficult behind Alexander Besrutschkin , Russia, Ali Mollow , Bulgaria, Petre Sudureac, Romania and Roman Meduna
2001 4th World Cup in Levallois Semi-difficult behind Karam Mohammed Gaber Ibragim, Egypt, Sergei Artjuchin , Russia and Cedric Theval, France
2001 3. World Cup in Patras Semi-difficult after victories over Sergei Lishtwan, Park Woo, South Korea and Marek Sitnik, a defeat against Ernesto Pena, Cuba and a victory over Petru Sudureac
2002 14th EM in Sainäjoki / Finland Semi-difficult after a victory over Gennadi Tschaidze and a defeat against Marek Sitnik
2002 1. World Cup in Moscow Semi-difficult after victories over Ramas Nosadze, Georgia, Georgios Koutsioubas, Greece, Alexei Tscheglakow, Uzbekistan, Ernesto Pen and Karam Ibrahim
2003 3. Nikolai Petrov Memorial in Sofia Semi-difficult behind Ara Abrahamian , Sweden and Karam Ibrahim, in front of Sergei Lischtwan and Mirko Englich , Germany
2003 9. EM in Belgrade Semi-difficult after losing to Mindaugas Ezerskis, Lithuania and defeating Dawid Saldadze, Ukraine
2003 14th World Cup in Créteil Semi-difficult after victories over Henri Papiaschwili, Israel and Arman Geghamjan, Armenia and a defeat against Karam Mohammed Gaber Ibragim
2004 3. Olympic qualification tournament in Novi Sad Semi-difficult behind Ernesto Pena and Mindaugas Ezerskis
2004 6th EM in Haparanda Semi-difficult after a loss to Marek Svec and a victory over Roman Meduna
2004 bronze OS in Athens Semi-difficult after victories over Alexei Tscheglakow, Igors Kostins, Latvia and Ernesto Pena, a defeat against Karam Ibrahim and a victory over Masoud Hashemzadeh, Iran
2005 3. Mediterranean Games in Almería Semi-difficult behind Karam Ibrahim and Georgios Koutsioubas
2007 3. Nikola Petrov Memorial in Sofia Semi-difficult behind Kalojan Dinchew , Bulgaria and Wassili Teplouchow , Russia
2007 1. Military World Cup in Hyderabad Semi-difficult before Georgios Konstantinidis, Greece, Mindaugas Ezerskis and Aslanbek Chuschtow, Russia
2008 3. Vehbi Emre Memorial in Istanbul Semi-difficult behind Ahmet Tacyildiz, Turkey and Smata Marnaniow, Belarus
2008 3. Olympic qualification tournament in Rome-Ostia Semi-difficult behind Kaoljan Dinchew and Lajos Virag, Hungary
2008 3. Hungarian Grand Prix in Szombathely Semi-difficult behind Jimmy Lidberg , Sweden and Karam Mohammed Gaber Ibragim
2008 3. Dan Kolow & Nikolai Petrow Memorial in Sofia Semi-difficult behind Kalojan Dinchew and Wladislaw Metodiew, both Bulgaria, in front of Rustam Totrow , Russia and Elis Guri , Albania
2008 11. OS in Beijing Semi-difficult after a win over Oleg Kryoka, Ukraine and a loss to Mindaugas Ezerskis

Explanations

  • all competitions in Greco-Roman style
  • OS = Olympic Games, WM = World Championship, EM = European Championship
  • Lightweight, weight class up to 2001 up to 97 kg, since 2002 up to 96 kg body weight

swell

  • Trade journal Der Ringer
  • Foeldeak Wrestling Database website

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Özal, Mehmet
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Turkish wrestler
DATE OF BIRTH October 31, 1978
PLACE OF BIRTH Ankara