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Mahmut Atalay (March
30, 1934, Çorum Province - December 4 , 2004, Ankara), was a
Circassian(ADYGA) World champion and Olympic medalist sports
wrestler in the Welterweight class (73kg until 1961, 78 kg
from 1961 on) and a trainer. He won the bronze medal at the
1964 Olympics in Men's Freestyle wrestling and the gold medal
at the 1968 Olympics. |
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He was born
1934 in Çorak, a village of Çorum Province in northern Turkey as a
member of a family, which immigrated from the Caucasus after 1864.
Mahmut Atalay began wrestling as a youngster in the traditional
Turkish Karakucak Wrestling and then switched over to sports
wrestling. He was admitted to the national team after winning his
title of Turkish champion in 1959, and received training by the
renowned wrestlers such as Yaşar Doğu, Celal Atik and Nasuh Akar.
He became 15 times national champion. Besides his medals at two
Olympic Games, Mahmut Atalay became World champion and won several
titles at various championships.
In 1968, he was honored by the International Wrestling Federation
FILA with the award "Most Technical Wrestler of the World".[1] He
retired from the active sports in 1968 after having represented
his country more than 150 times successfully at international
competitions, and served then for 16 more years as the trainer of
the national team.
Mahmut Atalay died on December 4, 2004 in Ankara following a heart
attack. He was succeeded by his wife Perihan and three children.
Achievements
1959 Mediterranean Games in Beirut, Lebanon - gold
1961 World Champipnships in Tokyo, Japan - 4 th
1962 Balkan Championships in Istanbul, Turkey - gold
1963 World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria - bronze
1963 Mediterranean Games in Naples, Italy - gold
1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan - bronze
1965 World Championships in Manchester, England - silver
1965 Balkan Championships in Yambol, Bulgaria - gold
1966 European Championships in Karlsruhe, Germany - silver
1966 World Championships in Toledo, Ohio, U.S. - gold
1967 World Championships in New Delhi, India - 4th
1967 European Championships in Istanbul, Turkey - silver
1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico – gold |
