Yasar Dogu
Encyclopedia
Yaşar Doğu (1913 - January 8, 1961), was a renowned Turkish
World and Olympic champion sports wrestler in Greco-Roman and Freestyle.
He was born in the village Karlı of Kavak
district in Samsun province
to a family of Circassian
origin. He began wrestling at his age of 15 in yağlı güreş
(oil wrestling) and continued in this folk sports until he entered the military service. His sports wrestling career started 1936 in Ankara
as he was discovered by the sports wrestler Celal Atik
.
Yaşar Doğu was admitted to the national team in 1939. He participated at the European Championships held that year in Oslo
, Norway
and became silver medalist in Greko-Roman style, his only participation at any international competition missing the gold medal. He became Balkan, European and World champion besides Olympic gold medalist. Yaşar Doğu wrestled 47 times in the national team between 1939 and 1951, of which only one he lost. 33 of his matches he won by near-fall. All his 46 winning matches lasted 372 minutes in total, whereas the normal duration should be 690 minutes. After retiring from the active sports, he served as the trainer of the national team.
He married to Hayriye on October 15, 1937. Yaşar Doğu gave the name Gazanfer to one of his sons in admiration to his teammate Gazanfer Bilge
. His son Gazanfer Doğu was educated in the US, and became a lecturer of physical education and sports at Abant Izzet Baysal University
in Bolu
.
Yaşar Doğu suffered a heart attack during the 1955 championships held in Sweden, where he was as the trainer of Turkey's wrestling team. He died on January 8, 1961 in Ankara
following a second heart attack.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
World and Olympic champion sports wrestler in Greco-Roman and Freestyle.
He was born in the village Karlı of Kavak
Kavak
Kavak is a district of Samsun Province of Turkey. Kavak is located 51 km far from Samsun. It is 600 m high from the sea level. The mayor is Şerif Ün ....
district in Samsun province
Samsun Province
Samsun Province is a province of Turkey on the Black Sea coast with a population of 1,252,693 . Its adjacent provinces are Sinop on the northwest, Çorum on the west, Amasya on the south, Tokat on the southeast, and Ordu on the east...
to a family of Circassian
Adyghe people
The Adyghe or Adygs , also often known as Circassians or Cherkess, are in origin a North Caucasian ethnic groupwho were displaced in the course of the Russian conquest of the Caucasus in the 19th century, especially after the Russian–Circassian War of 1862.Adyghe people mostly speak Adyghe and most...
origin. He began wrestling at his age of 15 in yağlı güreş
Yagli güres
Oil wrestling , also called grease wrestling, is the Turkish national sport. It is so called because the wrestlers douse themselves with olive oil. It is related to the Uzbeki kurash, Tuvan khuresh and Tatar köräş...
(oil wrestling) and continued in this folk sports until he entered the military service. His sports wrestling career started 1936 in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
as he was discovered by the sports wrestler Celal Atik
Celal Atik
Celal Atik was a successful Turkish sports wrestler and trainer, who won the gold medal in the Lightweight class of Men's Freestyle Wrestling at the 1948 Olympics....
.
Yaşar Doğu was admitted to the national team in 1939. He participated at the European Championships held that year in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and became silver medalist in Greko-Roman style, his only participation at any international competition missing the gold medal. He became Balkan, European and World champion besides Olympic gold medalist. Yaşar Doğu wrestled 47 times in the national team between 1939 and 1951, of which only one he lost. 33 of his matches he won by near-fall. All his 46 winning matches lasted 372 minutes in total, whereas the normal duration should be 690 minutes. After retiring from the active sports, he served as the trainer of the national team.
He married to Hayriye on October 15, 1937. Yaşar Doğu gave the name Gazanfer to one of his sons in admiration to his teammate Gazanfer Bilge
Gazanfer Bilge
Gazanfer Bilge was a Turkish sports wrestler who won the gold medal in the Featherweight class of Men's Freestyle Wrestling at the 1948 Olympics.-Biography:...
. His son Gazanfer Doğu was educated in the US, and became a lecturer of physical education and sports at Abant Izzet Baysal University
Abant Izzet Baysal University
- Overview :Abant Izzet Baysal University was founded on July 3, 1992 with the aim of establishing a centre of excellence in higher education and research. Today it has 8 faculties, 3 institutes, 5 two-year programmes, 6 vocational schools and 4 research centres. Nine hundred academicians teach...
in Bolu
Bolu
- Places of interest :The countryside around Bolu offers excellent walking and other outdoor pursuits. There are hotels in the town for visitors. Sights near the town include:* The 14th century mosque, Ulu Camii...
.
Yaşar Doğu suffered a heart attack during the 1955 championships held in Sweden, where he was as the trainer of Turkey's wrestling team. He died on January 8, 1961 in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
following a second heart attack.
Achievements
- 1939 European Wrestling Championships in OsloOsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
- silver (Greko-Roman style Lightweight) - 1940 Balkan Wrestling Championships in Istanbul, Turkey - gold (Greko-Roman style Lightweight)
- 1946 European Wrestling Championships in StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
- gold (Freestyle Welterweight) - 1947 European Wrestling Championships in PraguePraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
- gold (Greko-Roman style Welterweight) - 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England - gold (Freestyle Welterweight)
- 1949 European Wrestling Championships in Istanbul, Turkey - gold (Freestyle Middleweight)
- 1951 World Wrestling Championships in HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
- gold (Freestyle Light heavyweight)