Hamza Yerlikaya
Turkish wrestler and statesperson (born 1976)
哈姆扎·耶尔利卡亚 · ハムザ・イェルリカヤ · 함자 예를리카야
- Born
- 6 June 1976, Kadıköy
- Citizenship
- Turkey
- Sport
- amateur wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling
- Occupation
- politician, amateur wrestler
- Height
- 176 cm (5 ft 9 in)
- Weight
- 89 kg (196 lb)
Hamza Yerlikaya (born June 6, 1976, in Kadıköy, Istanbul) is a Turkish Graeco-Roman style wrestler. He is a two-time (in 1996 and 2000) Olympic champion, three-time World Champion (1993, 1995, and 2005), and the first Turkish wrestler to become European champion a record eight times, a feat that has since been matched by Rıza Kayaalp. He was ranked third in a list of all-time-best wrestlers by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) and was named the "Wrestler of the Century" in 1996.
A sports complex in Gaziosmanpaşa district of Istanbul is named after him.
Competitions
| Competition | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|
| wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 82 kg | ||
| wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics – men's Greco-Roman 85 kg | ||
| 2004 Summer Olympics | 2004 |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q1399210 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.