Turkey's largest wrestling meeting at MAKÜ; 63 universities, 606 athletes

The excitement of inter-university wrestling has begun in Burdur. The ÜNİLİG Yeşilay Wrestling Turkey Championship, organized under the hosting of Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, brought together athletes from all over Turkey.

While 606 athletes from 63 universities participated in the organization held between March 28 – April 1, 2026, a sports delegation of approximately 750 people, including coaches and managers, gathered in Burdur. The championship held on the MAKÜ campus started with the opening ceremony followed by the first day's competitions.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mehmet Yönal thanked MAKÜ, which stands out with its "athlete-friendly" identity, and emphasized the deep-rooted place of wrestling in Turkish culture. Yönal, highlighting the importance of passing the ancestral sport to younger generations, conveyed his best wishes to all athletes.

Rector Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Dalgar, in his speech, drew attention to the magnitude of the organization. Stating that the championship held with the participation of 63 universities is one of the most attended events organized within the university to date, Rector Dalgar expressed his satisfaction with the interest shown by young people in wrestling. Touching on the importance of wrestling for Turkish society, Rector Dalgar stated that as a university, they will continue to provide infrastructure and organizational support to every branch of sports. He also highlighted the role of sports in keeping young people away from bad habits, saying that awareness in this area is gradually increasing in universities.

On the first day of the championship, the team that topped the Greco-Roman Group B competitions was Erciyes Technical University. Batman University took second place, while Binali Yıldırım University secured third place.

In the organization, which will last for five days, university wrestlers will continue to compete to achieve rankings in both individual and team categories. The performances that will emerge throughout the championship are expected to play an important role in determining the athletes who will represent Turkey on the international stage.