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Article: Turkish oil wrestling champ wants sport brought to other countries
- Article from:
- AP Worldstream
- Article date:
- June 29, 2005
- Author:
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BENJAMIN HARVEY, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
06-29-2005
Dateline: EDIRNE, Turkey
To an Ottoman band's relentless drum pounding and whirring of clarinets, Saban Yilmaz entered the wrestling stadium and poured two full pitchers of extra virgin olive oil over his hulking torso.
After nearly an hour of slow, deliberate grappling and a few blunt slaps that sent oil and sweat spraying onto the uncut grass, Yilmaz tossed his opponent onto his back in an explosion of strength to win the 644th annual Kirkpinar oil wrestling championship _ one of the world's oldest sporting events.
"I've been preparing for this for 16 years," the new Turkish baspehlivan, or head wrestler, said Sunday, ...