Wikipedia

Esra Kiraz

Esra Kiraz (born 1992) is a Turkish armwrestler.[1] Competing in the senior women's 55 kg category, she has been world and European champion several times in both left and right arm categories.

Esra Kiraz
Personal information
NationalityTurkish
Born1992 (age 31–32)
Turkey
Alma materKocaeli University
Years active2008–
Sport
CountryTurkey
SportArmwrestling
Event55 kg
ClubFerdi
Medal record
Women's Arm wrestling
Representing  Turkey
World Armwrestling Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Almaty 55 kg Left arm
Silver medal – second place 2023 Almaty 55 kg Right arm
Gold medal – first place 2022 Antalya 55 kg Left arm
Gold medal – first place 2022 Antalya 55 kg Right arm
Gold medal – first place 2021 Bucharest 55 kg Left arm
Gold medal – first place 2021 Bucharest 55 kg Right arm
Silver medal – second place 2019 Constanța 50 kg Left arm
Gold medal – first place 2019 Constanța 50 kg Right arm
Gold medal – first place 2018 Antalya 50 kg Left arm
Gold medal – first place 2017 Budapest 50 kg Left arm
Gold medal – first place 2017 Budapest 50 kg Right arm
Silver medal – second place 2016 Blagoevgrad 50 kg Left arm
Silver medal – second place 2016 Blagoevgrad 50 kg Right arm
Silver medal – second place 2015 Kuala Lumpur 50 kg Right arm
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Vilnius 50 kg Right arm
Silver medal – second place 2013 Gdynia J21 55 kg Left arm
Silver medal – second place 2013 Gdynia J21 55 kg Right arm
Gold medal – first place 2009 Rosolina Girls 50 kg Left arm
Gold medal – first place 2009 Rosolina Girls1 50 kg Right arm
Silver medal – second place 2008 Kelowna Girls 50 kg Left arm
Silver medal – second place 2008 Kelowna Girls1 50 kg Right arm
European Armwrestling Championship
Gold medal – first place 2022 Bucharest 55 kg Left arm
Gold medal – first place 2022 Bucharest

55 kg Right arm

Gold medal – first place 2018 Sofia 50 kg Left arm
Gold medal – first place 2018 Sofia 50 kg Right arm
Gold medal – first place 2016 Bucharest 50 kg Left arm
Gold medal – first place 2016 Bucharest 50 kg Right arm
Silver medal – second place 2015 Sofia 50 kg Left arm
Gold medal – first place 2015 Sofia 50 kg Right arm
Silver medal – second place 2014 Baku 50 kg Right arm
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Druskininkai 50 kg Left arm}
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Gdańsk 50 kg Left arm}
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Gdańsk 50 kg Right arm
Gold medal – first place 2011 Antalya 50 kg Left arm
Silver medal – second place 2011 Antalya 50 kg Right arm
Silver medal – second place 2010 Moscow J 50 kg Right arm

Early life edit

Esra Kiraz was born into a family of sportspeople in 1992.[2][3][4][5] She went to İmam Hatip High School in Kadıköy, Istanbul.[6] As of 2012–13 she was a student at Kocaeli University.[7][8]

She grew up helping her father Ömer Kiraz with floor and wall tiling at his construction site, where she carried 50 kg (110 lb) cement bags.[6]

Sports career edit

Early years edit

At school, Kiraz was not a diligent student. She spent more of her time in the school yard. Her teacher of physical education directed her initially to play basketball. In 2006 at age 14, she was selected by her teachers to be sent to an intra-school arm wrestling tournament as no other candidate was available. She took part, and became champion in both left and right arm attracting the attention of a coach of the Istanbul Youth and Sport Directorate, who saw a future world and European champion in her.[4]

In fact she was interested in martial arts, but pursued a career as an armwrestler.[4][5] Although in the beginning her mother was against her intention, her father fully supported her.[4] Her father accompanied her at trainings, and contributed financially for her participations at international competitions. On the way to the championship, they always walked shoulder to shoulder.[6]

Club career edit

Kiraz became Turkish champion in the first official national competition.[4] She competed for Üsküdar Belediye Spor,[9][3][4] before she joined Haliç Su Sporları ("Golden Horn Water Sports Club").[1] During her student time, she competed at the 2013 Turkish Interuniversity Armwrestling Tournament held in Bilecik, and became champion on both arms in the 60 kg category.[7][8]

In 2014, she became Turkish champion in Kemer, Antalya, where for the first time a great number of sportspeople participated. She was so entitled to take part at the European Championship in Baku, Azerbaijan.[4] Kiraz defended her champion title at the 2015 Turkish Championship in Kemer, Antalya.[10] In 2018, she again won the Turkish champion title in both arms of the 50 kg category.[11] She was selected to the national team again following the Turkish Championship held in Eskişehir between 21 and 25 March 2022.[2]

She is nicknamed "Çelik Bilek" ("The Steel Wrist").[12][6][3]

International career edit

Kiraz faced her first obstacle when she was about to participate at the 2008 World Championship in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. The Turkish Bodybuilding, Fitness and Armwrestling Federation ("Türkiye Vücut Geliştirme, Fitness ve Bilek Güreşi Federasyonu, TVGFBF") did not cover the travel expenses, and she had no sponsors. Her father stepped in selling his work equipment.[6]

She was part of the national team at the 2012 World Championship held in São Vicente, Brazil.[13] After taking many medals and runners-up titles in the Youth and Junior divisions at the world and European championships, she won her first gold medal in the Senior division at the 2011 European Championship in Antalya, Turkey.[4] At the 2015 European Championship in Sofia, Bulgaria, Kiraz competed in the Senior 50 kg category against 13 opponents including some former world and European champions. On the left arm in the final, she lost to her Russian opponent, and took the silver medal. On the right arm in the final, she defeated the Russian, and became European champion.[14] Kiraz took two silver medals at the 2016 World Championship in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria.[15] She became champion in both arms of the 50 kg at the 2017 World Armwrestling Championship held in Budapest, Hungary.[6][16] At the 2018 World Championship held in Antalua, Turkey, she won the gold medal in the 50 kg left arm category.[17][18][19]

Coaching edit

She shared her experience by coaching. Two women, Burcu Korkmaz and Beyzanur Avcı, were coached by Kiraz.[6]

International individual achievements edit

Year Date Location Competition Event
(kg)		 Left
rm		 Right
arm		 Ref.
2008 29 Nov – 7 Dec   Kelowna 30th World Champ. Girls 50     [1][2]
2009 7–12 Sep   Rosolina 31st World Champ. Girls 50     [3][4]
2010 31 May – 6 Jun   Moscow 20th European Champ. Junior 50 -   [5]
4–12 Dec   Mesquite 32nd World Champ. Girls 50 5th 6th [6][7]
2011 9–15 May   Antalya 21st European Champ. 50     [8]
28 Nov – 4 Dec   Almaty 33rdWorld Champ. 50 4th - [9]
2012 3–20 May   Gdańsk 22nd European Champ. 50     [10]
10–18 Sep   São Vicente 34th World Champ. 50 5th 4th [11]
2013 5–12 May   Druskininkai 23rd European Champ. 50   - [12]
4–7 Sep   Gdynia 35th World Champ. Junior21 55     [13]
2014 18–25 May   Baku 24th European Champ. 50 -   [14]
4–21 Sep   Vilnius 36th World Champ. 50 4th   [15]
2015 1–7 Jun   Sofia 25th European Champ. 50     [16]
26 Sep – 4 Oct   Kuala Lumpur 37th World Champ. 50 5th   [17]
2016 21–29 May   Bucharest 26th European Champ. 50     [18]
1–10 Oct   Blagoevgrad 38th World Champ. 50     [19]
2017 2–11 Sep   Budapest 39th World Champ. 50     [20]
2018 25 May – 3 Jun   Sofia 28th European Champ. 50     [21]
12–21 Oct   Antalya 40th World Champ. 50   4th [22]
2019 26 Oct – 4 Nov   Constanta 41st World Champ. 50     [23]
2021 23 Nov-3 Dec   Bucharest 42nd World Champi. 55     [24]
2022 7–14 May   Bucharest 31st European Champ. 55     [25]
14–23 Oct   Antalya 43rd World Champ. 55     [26]

Honours edit

In 2009, she was named the "Armwrestler of the Year" in Turkey.[3][4][20]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "2022 Şener Arslan Türkiye Bilek Güreşi Şampiyonası Büyük Bayanlar Sol Kol Müsabaka Sonuçları" (PDF) (in Turkish). Türkiye Vücut Geliştirme Fitness ve Bilek Güreşi Federasyonu. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  2. ^ a b Türktan, Hakan; Caner Aksu (25 March 2022). "Eskişehir'de düzenlenen Bilek Güreşi Şampiyonası sona erdi". Milliyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d "Esra Kiraz kimdir cinsiyeti?" (in Turkish). Artemis Arıtım. 8 October 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Dövüş Sporlarına İlgisi Nedeniyle Yöneldiği Bilek Güreşinde Rakip Tanımıyor". Haberler (in Turkish). 17 March 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Dövüşe niyet bilek güreşine kısmet". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). 17 March 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Yüksel, Pınar Yıldız (8 October 2017). "Fayans ustasının çelik bilek çırağı". Sabah (in Turkish). Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Bilek Güreşinde Türkiye Şampiyonuyuz" (in Turkish). Kocaeli Üniversitesi. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Bilecik'te bilek güreşi heyecanı sona erdi". Eurosport (in Turkish). 15 March 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  9. ^ "Üsküdar'ın dünya şampiyonu sultanı var". İstanbul Takipte (in Turkish). Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  10. ^ < "Bilek Güreşi Şampiyonası son buldu. Şampiyonlar ..." SporX (in Turkish). 3 April 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  11. ^ "<Türkiye Bilek Güreşi Şampiyonası'nda dereceye giren sporcular belli oldu". Fanatik (in Turkish). 4 April 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  12. ^ "Esenlerliler Şampiyonlarla Bilek Güreşi Yaptı" (in Turkish). Esenler Belediyesi. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Bilek Güreşi Milli Takımı toplanıyor". NTV Spor (in Turkish). 9 September 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  14. ^ "25. Avrupa Bilek Güreşi Şampiyonası… Esra Kiraz ve Hamza Ziypak Söyleşi" (in Turkish). Fit Sharp. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Dünya Bilek Güreşi Şampiyonası – Türkiye'ye 6 altın, 12 gümüş ve 15 bronz madalya". Üçüncü Nesil (in Turkish). 10 October 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  16. ^ "39. Dünya Bilek Güreşi Şampiyonası Sona Erdi". Fanatik (in Turkish). 11 September 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Dünya Bilek Güreşi Şampiyonası'nda büyük başarı". Habertürk (in Turkish). 20 October 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  18. ^ "Var mı bileğimizi büken?". Cumhuriyet (in Turkish). 20 October 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  19. ^ "Dünya Bilek Güreşi Şampiyonası'nda büyük başarı". Lider Gazete (in Turkish). 20 October 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Madalya da çok skandal da". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 1 January 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
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