The story of Cengizhan Şimşek, from the nomadic tent to the Kırkpınar chief wrestler

Cengizhan Şimşek, the chief wrestler of Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling, said that he is the son of a Yörük family from Antalya.

Cengizhan Şimşek, 26, who became the chief wrestler by defeating Mustafa Taş in the final match of the 661st Historical Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling in Edirne this year, is experiencing great happiness.

Defeated strong opponents and reached the final

Cengizhan Şimşek, who reached the final by beating strong wrestlers such as Orhan School, İsmail Balaban, Menderes Saltık and Tanju Gemici, continues his education at Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Faculty of Sports Sciences.

From Yoruk tent to Kırkpınar chief wrestler, Cengizhan Şimşek’s story – VIDEO

He started wrestling 15 years ago.

According to the news of DHA; Şimşek, who is from Gebiz village of Serik district of Antalya, said that he started wrestling 15 years ago. Chief wrestler Şimşek, the son of a housewife mother and a retired police officer, “I first started wrestling in Antalya’s Kepez Municipality. Later, I transferred to Antalya Metropolitan Municipality ASAS Sports Club. I have been wrestling at ASAS Sports Club since 2014 under the auspices of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Muhittin Insect.” said.

“I worked hard, I got what I paid for”

“When you work, God rewards you from somewhere” said Simsek, “I worked hard too. I believed in myself. I came to this field saying, ‘My situation is very good, I will get this belt.’ He hosted us very nicely before he came. We kept our promise to our president and got the belt. God has blessed us to take the belt to Antalya this year.” he said.

“The brother-sister relationship ends on the field”

Başpehlivan Cengizhan Şimşek, who stated that he was matched with his clubmate Menderes Saltık in the first round, said: “We were with him in the camp for 25 days, we never broke up. But the first round attracted me and I did it with him. I was confident. He said, ‘Apprentice, your situation is very good.’ I passed the second round by bye. I drew Orhan School in the third round draw. Ezeli My opponent, a good opponent, won the belt twice. We made it to the quarter-finals in the next round. I fell to Tanju Gemici. Tanju Gemici is also a good wrestler and I beat him. In the semi-finals, I ran into my master İsmail Balaban. We are both a master and a big brother in our team. He bought 2 gold belts. We always envied them. We did what was necessary and made the audience happy, we fed wrestling. It was fortunate to beat brother Ismail. The moment you enter the field, the brother-sister relationship ends. But when you go out of the field, we are brother and sister again. We are in the same club, We eat and drink together, we train together. It’s always hard for a person who has bought 2 belts and wrote an epic in Kırkpınar. You know each other during wrestling, your opponent is good. I’m fine too. At that moment, there is no position and you need to get tired a little. I need a forest. You can’t play a live person. At that moment, wrestling and intelligence go hand in hand. You evaluate the positions when they come. I beat Ismail’s brother with the goose wing game. I was lucky to make it to the final. My opponent in the final was Mustafa Taş. Our brother. My goal is to maintain the golden belt. To be able to carry it nicely. Because it’s such an honor. If God wills, I want to take it 3 years in a row and become the eternal owner of the belt.” he said.

“The image of my mustache added color to the private square”

Başpehlivan Şimşek stated that they announced him as ‘the charismatic chief wrestler of Private Square’. “Formerly Kel Aliço, ex-wrestlers had such an image. I did it for wrestling as an image. I didn’t have a mustache at all. My masters suggested that I grow a mustache. My grandfathers had a mustache like me, but it wasn’t that long. My grandfathers were Yörüks and they had Ottoman mustaches too “My beard isn’t growing anyway, I said it wouldn’t. At first, when I let it go, it looked weird. Then I looked at it as it got longer and it became a beautiful image. When I went to Private Square, my masters and tower judges told me not to cut my mustache. The audience also likes it. The image of my mustache added color to Private Square.” used the expressions.

“My father wanted to be a wrestler, my grandfather cut his kispet”

Şimşek said that his father Mehmet Şimşek wanted to be a wrestler. “There was no car in the past. I used to go and go by horse and tractor. My father buys kispet and goes to training. My grandfather also cut my father’s kispet because we were nomads and we were engaged in animal husbandry, because there was no one to look after the animals. He cut it 2-3 times and my father was exhausted. My father comes to Antalya and He started his life as a police officer. Retired policeman. After that, my wrestling life began. I looked at my father’s photos and made a decision. I said to my father, but he said I was too skinny. I started my wrestling life with 28 kilograms. My father also said that I had to do my best and he was always behind me. I promised to be the chief wrestler. I kept that promise. May Allah be pleased with him thousands of times. He never spared his financial and moral support.” he said.

“We are still living a nomadic life”

Kırkpınar’s chief wrestler, Cengizhan Şimşek, “My father took my mother in a bristle tent, that is, in a Yörük tent. They have no homes. I also love the nomadic life very much. We are still living the nomadic life. We keep that culture alive. They are waiting for me in the oba. When I return to Antalya, I wish to take my belt to our nomadic tribe. “When he goes to our village at the same time, I will take the heirloom of his father to the grave of the late Ahmet Ak. That was my dream. I will present it to him in his grave and read a Fatiha to his soul.” said.

“When I became the chief wrestler, I herded animals in the plateau”

Şimşek stated that he became the chief wrestler in 2018. “When I first went to Antalya when I went to Antalya, I went to herd animals on the plateau. I shared on social media while herding animals there. They told me that I was a head wrestler and that I should travel in Antalya, but I said that I could not quit my job even if I was a chief wrestler. I am in the environment I love, I like to travel in the mountains. With livestock. “We make a living. Since we are engaged in animal husbandry, meat is not missing from us. We are fed with sheep’s yoghurt, goat cheese, goat’s milk, goat yoghurt, cow yoghurt. There is village egg. Everything is natural. We produce everything that is put on our table ourselves.” he said.

Mother Şimşek: “He promised to take the golden belt and wear it around his neck”

Cengizhan Şimşek’s mother Şerife Şimşek, who lives in the Sülekler highland of Korkuteli district in summers, said that she was very happy and proud when her son received the golden belt. Şerife Şimşek said:

“I was very happy. When my son was leaving, he said, ‘Mom, I will take the belt and hang it around your neck.’ “This year, he prepared very hard for Kırkpınar wrestling. When I was at home, I would only deal with his cooking. We did not expect a gold belt this year, but he surprised us and bought the gold belt. He promised me too. “Mom, this year the gold belt is the gold belt. “I’m going to take it and put it around your neck.”

He started with football, became a wrestler

Şerife Şimşek stated that her son Cengizhan started sports to be a football player, “His father took him from football and made him enter wrestling. He started sports very weakly. We used to look after him, whether it was his father or me, to feed him. Now he continued on his way by wrestling.” said.

“He cared for his grandfather’s mustache”

Regarding his son Cengizhan’s remarkable mustache, “My husband’s father was very fond of Kemal Şimşek for his mustache. He grew a mustache and remained that way” Says Şerife Şimşek, “He especially likes meat and roasting in his diet. He would not eat without meat. He loved meat stew, he loved lean rice pilaf. His father does not leave him without meat and slaughters 1-2 lambs a month. Especially his father buys him broiler chickens, Cengizhan feeds him and raises him with his own hands. “After this time, we will pray that he will not give up the gold belt. Next year, I will go to Kırkpınar wrestling for the gold belt.” he said.

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