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World's Oldest Wrestling Competition Returns

Oil Wrestling in Turkey
The world's oldest continually run sporting event, Turkey's Kirkpinar oil wrestling tournament, returned this weekend for it's 660th annual competition.

Ali Gurbuz beat out the field of more than 2000 competitors over three days to claim his fourth title.

Due to the COVID pandemic, last year is believed to be the first time the tournament had ever been canceled. Thus, Gurbuz came in as the defending champion having claimed the crown in 2019, as well as winning the event in 2011 and 2012 (he was stripped of a fifth title in 2013 after testing positive for a banned substance). Kirkpinar (also called yagli gures) wrestlers compete shirtless in leather pants and are doused in olive oil to make gripping more difficult. Matches are held outdoors in a field and won by pinning the opponent or points. Gurbuz's final match against Ismail Koc went 48 minutes.

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