Yasar ERKAN

In 1936, Turkey won its first ever Olympic gold medal through wrestler Yaşar Erkan. A three time Balkan champion (1933-1935), Erkan entered both the Greco-Roman and freestyle competitions in the featherweight division. He was excluded after three bouts in the freestyle event, losing his last match to eventual champion Kustaa Pihlajamäki. In the Greco-Roman competition, he won his first three matches by fall, and the fourth on decision. This put him in the lead, but in round six he lost to Finland's Aarne Reini, putting him at 4 bad points, where 5 meant elimination. But in the final round, Reini only managed a 2-1 decision against Einar Karlsson, thereby eliminating himself and earning Erkan the gold medal. Erkan was personally rewarded for his victory by the nation's founder and president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Erkan never participated in any other major international championships, but he did win two more Balkan Championships, in 1937 and 1940.