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Turkish wrestler Riza Kayaalp made history at the 2026 European Wrestling Championships, becoming the first athlete ever to win 13 gold medals at the continental competition, surpassing a record he previously shared with Russian legend Aleksandr Karelin.
The 36-year-old Kayaalp, competing in the Greco-Roman 130 kg category, defeated Hungary's Darius Attila Vitek 7-1 in the final in Tirana to claim the title. Across 15 European championship finals, he now holds 13 gold and two silver medals.
"This is an achievement as valuable as an Olympic medal," Kayaalp said after the bout. "I broke a record that was said to be unbreakable."
The path to this title was, by Kayaalp's own account, a deeply painful one. In remarks to journalists following the final, the veteran grappler described a period of profound isolation and uncertainty, saying he had nearly given up hope entirely.
It was his young daughter, now five and a half years old, who he credited with keeping him going. Each night before bed, she would pray that her father would wrestle again and win medals for their country. "I would hear her, and it moved me incredibly," he said. "I made a silent promise to her. All fathers do everything for their children."
He described fighting his way back, "getting on the mat like a lion," to honor that promise. "I kept my word," he said.
Türkiye Wrestling Federation President Taha Akgul, who accompanied Kayaalp on the medal podium as the Turkish national anthem played, was candid about the anxiety he felt watching the bout unfold before a crowd of several hundred spectators. "I was so afraid of the evil eye," Akgul said.
He emphasized that Kayaalp had endured hardships he did not deserve on the road to this record, saying the champion had emerged "with his head held high" at 37 to claim the gold. Akgul dedicated the achievement to all citizens of Türkiye and to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with a particular note of thanks to the Minister of Youth and Sports.
"The only thing missing is an Olympic gold medal," Akgul said. "God willing, he will get that too."
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Following the victory, President Erdogan telephoned Kayaalp directly to offer his congratulations. "Your championship has made us happy," Erdogan told him. "It is a record, I congratulate you."
Kayaalp used the moment to recall a mutual pledge between the athlete and the head of state. "We broke the record," he told Erdogan. "You promised us a facility, and we promised you a record. We kept our word."
In addition to his European championship haul, Kayaalp has also won three Olympic medals, comprising one silver and two bronze. Greco-Roman wrestling, one of the oldest competitive disciplines in the Olympic program, prohibits holds below the waist, placing a premium on upper-body strength and technique, areas in which Kayaalp has long been considered among the world's elite.
Karelin, the Soviet and Russian heavyweight whose record Kayaalp has now eclipsed, is widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers in history, having won three Olympic gold medals and gone undefeated in international competition for 13 years. Surpassing his tally of European titles marks a significant milestone not only for Kayaalp but for the sport.
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