Celal Atik
Encyclopedia
Celal Atik (1918 or 1920 - 27 April 1979) was a successful Turkish
sports wrestler
and trainer, who won the gold medal in the Lightweight
class of Men's Freestyle Wrestling
at the 1948 Olympics
.
He was born in the village of Gürdan in the Boğazlıyan
district of Yozgat Province
, Turkey
. He changed his family name from "Doğan" to "Atik" (literally, "Slippy") after a proposal by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
, the founder of the Turkish Republic, who noticed his speed at the Turkey Wrestling Championships in 1938.
In addition to winning an Olympic gold medal, Celal Atik was also World champion and European champion twice. After retiring from competition, he served from 1955 to 1979 as trainer of his country's national team and taught many wrestlers who later became champions. Appointed the head trainer by the International Wrestling Federation
(FILA) in Switzerland
, he gave lessons on wrestling techniques to sportspeople from all around the world.
He is recognized as Turkey's smartest wrestler, with exceptional technique as well as the most aesthetic physique. In addition to his other honors, he was awarded with the Légion d'honneur
of France.
Celal Atik died on 27 April 1979 in a hospital in Ankara
. Two sports halls—one in İzmir
with a capacity of 1,200 people and another one in his hometown Yozgat—are named after him.
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
sports wrestler
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
and trainer, who won the gold medal in the Lightweight
Lightweight
Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
class of Men's Freestyle Wrestling
Freestyle wrestling
Freestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practised throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history...
at the 1948 Olympics
Turkey at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Turkey competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England. 58 competitors, 57 men and 1 woman, took part in 42 events in 7 sports.-Medalists:-Fencing:Six fencers, all men, represented Turkey in 1948.Men's foil* Nihat Balkan* Nejat Tolgar...
.
He was born in the village of Gürdan in the Boğazlıyan
Bogazliyan
Boğazlıyan is a town and district of Yozgat Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. Neighbouring districts are Sarıkaya on the north, Yenifakılı on the west, Çandır and Çayıralan on the east. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 67,184 of which 29,719 live in the town...
district of Yozgat Province
Yozgat Province
Yozgat Province is a province in central Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Çorum to the northwest, Kırıkkale to the west, Kırşehir to the southwest, Nevşehir to the south, Kayseri to the southeast, Sivas to the east, Tokat to the northeast, and Amasya to the north...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. He changed his family name from "Doğan" to "Atik" (literally, "Slippy") after a proposal by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
, the founder of the Turkish Republic, who noticed his speed at the Turkey Wrestling Championships in 1938.
In addition to winning an Olympic gold medal, Celal Atik was also World champion and European champion twice. After retiring from competition, he served from 1955 to 1979 as trainer of his country's national team and taught many wrestlers who later became champions. Appointed the head trainer by the International Wrestling Federation
International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, also known in French as Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées , is an international wrestling federation that holds events around the world. It is the governing body of international amateur wrestling...
(FILA) in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, he gave lessons on wrestling techniques to sportspeople from all around the world.
He is recognized as Turkey's smartest wrestler, with exceptional technique as well as the most aesthetic physique. In addition to his other honors, he was awarded with the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
of France.
Celal Atik died on 27 April 1979 in a hospital in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
. Two sports halls—one in İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
with a capacity of 1,200 people and another one in his hometown Yozgat—are named after him.
Wrestler
- 1940 Balkan Wrestling Championships in IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey - silver (Greco-RomanGreco-Roman wrestlingGreco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
style 72 kg) - 1946 European Wrestling Championships in StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
- gold (Freestyle 67 kg) - 1947 European Wrestling Championships in PraguePraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
- bronze (Greco-Roman style 67 kg) - 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England - gold
- 1949 European Wrestling Championships in Istanbul, Turkey - gold (Freestyle 73 kg)
- 1950 World Wrestling Championships in Stockholm, Sweden - silver (Greco-Roman style 73 kg)
- 1951 World Wrestling Championships in HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
- gold (Freestyle 73 kg)
Trainer of the national team
- 1960 Summer OlympicsWrestling at the 1960 Summer OlympicsAt the 1960 Summer Olympics, 16 wrestling events were contested, all for men. There were eight weight classes in Greco-Roman wrestling and eight classes in freestyle wrestling.- Greco-Roman:-Freestyle:-See also:...
in Rome, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
- champion team - 1964 Summer OlympicsWrestling at the 1964 Summer OlympicsAt the 1964 Summer Olympics, 16 wrestling events were contested, for all men. There were eight weight classes in Greco-Roman wrestling and eight classes in freestyle wrestling.- Greco-Roman:-Freestyle:-See also:...
in Tokyo, Japan - 2 gold, 5 silver and 1 bronze - 1968 Summer OlympicsWrestling at the 1968 Summer OlympicsAt the 1968 Summer Olympics, 16 wrestling events were contested, for all men. There were eight weight classes in Greco-Roman wrestling and eight classes in freestyle wrestling.- Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-Medal table:-See also:...
in Mexico City, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
- 2 gold - 1955-1971 At all World Championships - various medals