Berber celebrates U20 European Wrestling Championship win with gray wolf gesture
National athlete Alperen Berber, who became the champion in the Greco-Roman style 82-kg category at the U20 European Championships held in Serbia, made the wolf sign. (Ihlas News Agency)
In the U20 European Wrestling Championships held in Serbia, national athlete Alperen Berber, who won the Greco-Roman style 82 kilograms category, made the wolf gesture.
Berber stated, “I made the wolf gesture as a symbol of my Turkush heritage. I did this sincerely from within myself. I am proud to have made this gesture.”
In the 2023 World Junior Wrestling Championships held in Amman, Jordan, Berber became the world champion in the Greco-Roman style 82 kg category by defeating his Iranian opponent Yasin Ali Yazdı 9-1 in the final, thus etching his name in history as the youngest champion of the tournament.
Having already made a name for himself on the international stage, the young wrestler clinched another title by winning the Greco-Roman style 82 kilograms category at the U20 European Wrestling Championships held in Serbia. After the match, Berber celebrated his victory by making the “Bozkurt” (gray wolf) gesture.
Later, he shared this photo on his social media account accompanied by the lyrics of the “Sahlanis Marsi,” which include the words: “I have four fierce wounds, subtly/Vowing allegiance to the homeland’s flag, religion. When I see the light of the crescent-star/My fearless weeds will rot, my wolf.”
Visiting Halit Dogan, the mayor of Samsun Metropolitan Municipality where he represents as an athlete, Alperen Berber expressed his pride in making the wolf gesture spontaneously after the competition.
“I made the wolf gesture as a symbol of Turkishness, and I am proud of it,” Berber emphasized, expressing his happiness in bringing pride to his country. “I have experienced the championship once again. I am very happy about the success I achieved for Samsun and my country.
Hopefully, more successes will follow. I understand the meaning of the gesture I made after becoming champion. I made the wolf gesture as a symbol of Turkish heritage, sincerely from within myself. I am proud to have made this gesture. My greatest goal is to win an Olympic medal for Samsun.”
