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 3031)
Turkey
Alma materKocaeli University
Years active2008–
Sport
CountryTurkey
SportArmwrestling
Event(s)55 kg
ClubFerdi

Early life

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

Early years

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

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

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

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

International individual achievements

YearDateLocationCompetitionEvent
(kg)
Left
rm
Right
arm
Ref.
2008 29 Nov – 7 DecCanada Kelowna30th World Champ.Girls 502nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)
2009 7–12 SepItaly Rosolina31st World Champ.Girls 501st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
2010 31 May – 6 JunRussia Moscow20th European Champ.Junior 50-2nd place, silver medalist(s)
4–12 DecUnited States Mesquite32nd World Champ.Girls 505th6th
2011 9–15 MayTurkey Antalya21st European Champ.501st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)
28 Nov – 4 DecKazakhstan Almaty33rdWorld Champ.504th-
2012 3–20 MayPoland Gdańsk22nd European Champ.503rd place, bronze medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
10–18 SepBrazil São Vicente34th World Champ.505th4th
2013 5–12 MayLithuania Druskininkai23rd European Champ.503rd place, bronze medalist(s)-
4–7 SepPoland Gdynia35th World Champ.Junior21 552nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)
2014 18–25 MayAzerbaijan Baku24th European Champ.50-2nd place, silver medalist(s)
4–21 SepLithuania Vilnius36th World Champ.504th3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
2015 1–7 JunBulgaria Sofia25th European Champ.502nd place, silver medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
26 Sep – 4 OctMalaysia Kuala Lumpur37th World Champ.505th2nd place, silver medalist(s)
2016 21–29 MayRomania Bucharest26th European Champ.501st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
1–10 OctBulgaria Blagoevgrad38th World Champ.502nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)
2017 2–11 SepHungary Budapest39th World Champ.501st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
2018 25 May – 3 JunBulgaria Sofia28th European Champ.501st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
12–21 OctTurkey Antalya40th World Champ.501st place, gold medalist(s)4th
2019 26 Oct – 4 NovRomania Constanta41st World Champ.502nd place, silver medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
2021 23 Nov-3 DecRomania Bucharest42nd World Champi.551st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
2022 7–14 MayRomania Bucharest31st European Champ.551st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
14–23 OctTurkey Antalya43rd World Champ.551st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)

Honours

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

References

  1. "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. Türktan, Hakan; Caner Aksu (25 March 2022). "Eskişehir'de düzenlenen Bilek Güreşi Şampiyonası sona erdi". Milliyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  3. "Esra Kiraz kimdir cinsiyeti?" (in Turkish). Artemis Arıtım. 8 October 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  4. "Dövüş Sporlarına İlgisi Nedeniyle Yöneldiği Bilek Güreşinde Rakip Tanımıyor". Haberler (in Turkish). 17 March 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  5. "Dövüşe niyet bilek güreşine kısmet". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). 17 March 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  6. Yüksel, Pınar Yıldız (8 October 2017). "Fayans ustasının çelik bilek çırağı". Sabah (in Turkish). Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  7. "Bilek Güreşinde Türkiye Şampiyonuyuz" (in Turkish). Kocaeli Üniversitesi. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  8. "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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