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Two young arm-wrestlers from Türkiye, 12-year-old Aysegul Sahin and 14-year-old Irem Vuran, are training for a world title after already winning championships at home and across Europe.
Their talent first caught the eye of physical education teachers, who spotted them competing against classmates during school breaks.
Encouraged by their teachers to pursue the sport, the two athletes wasted little time racking up wins. Sahin claimed national titles in the 55-kilogram category in both the right- and left-arm events at the Türkiye Youth Arm-Wrestling Championship, while Vuran won the 45-kilogram left-arm title.
Now the pair are keeping up their training as they aim for a podium finish at the World Championship in India this October.
Sahin stated that she took up arm wrestling three years ago, first winning school competitions before going on to claim the inter-school national title.
She also took gold in the right-arm event and silver in the left-arm event at the European Arm-Wrestling Championship in Budapest, Hungary, in May. "My next goal is to become world champion," she said. Sahin added that arm wrestling isn't just for men and that she hopes to help change that perception.
Vuran's talent was first spotted by a physical education teacher at her village school. Training four days a week, she took bronze in the left-arm event at the European Championship in Budapest. "My next goal is to earn a podium finish at the World Championship and fly our flag high," she said.
Physical education teacher Erdem Celik credited the girls' success to disciplined training, adding that both are preparing intensively for October's World Championship in India, where the goal is gold.
Ismail Kurt, arm-wrestling coach at the Kilis Directorate of Youth and Sports in southern Türkiye, said the city works with 41 athletes and has won roughly 200 medals in national and international competitions.
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