Soner Demirtaş (born 25 June 1991) is a Turkish freestyle wrestler who competes in the 74 kg division. He won the European title in 2016,[1] 2017[2] and 2018. He was bronze medalist at the Rio Olympics. He is a member of the Ankara ASKI.[3]

Soner Demirtaş
Demirtaş at the 2016 Olympics
Personal information
NationalityTurkish
Born (1991-06-25) 25 June 1991 (age 33)
Tokat, Turkey
Home townIstanbul, Turkey
Alma materKaramanoğlu Mehmetbey University
Height172 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight74 kg (163 lb)
Sport
CountryTurkey
SportWrestling
EventFreestyle
ClubBueyueksehir Beledenyi
Ankara ASKI Sports Club
Coached byAdem Bereket
Medal record
Representing  Turkey
Men's Freestyle wrestling
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro 74 kg
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Paris 74 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Belgrade 74 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 Riga 74 kg
Gold medal – first place 2017 Novi Sad 74 kg
Gold medal – first place 2018 Kaspiysk 74 kg
Silver medal – second place 2024 Bucharest 74 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Vantaa 74 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Rome 74 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Zagreb 74 kg
European Games
Silver medal – second place 2015 Baku 74 kg
Silver medal – second place 2019 Minsk 74 kg
Military World Games
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Wuhan 74 kg
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place 2013 Mersin 74 kg
Islamic Solidarity Games
Silver medal – second place 2017 Baku 74 kg
Yasar Dogu Tournament
Gold medal – first place 2022 Istanbul 74 kg
Silver medal – second place 2012 Ankara 74 kg
Silver medal – second place 2013 Ankara 74 kg
Silver medal – second place 2015 Istanbul 74 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Istanbul 74 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Istanbul 74 kg
Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament
Silver medal – second place 2018 Sofia 74 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Sofia 74 kg
Grand Prix
Gold medal – first place 2013 Makhachkala 74 kg
Silver medal – second place 2014 Minsk 74 kg
Silver medal – second place 2020 Rome 74 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Siedlce 74 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Minsk 74 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Alexandria 74 kg
World Juniors Championships
Silver medal – second place 2010 Budapest 74kg
European Juniors Championships
Silver medal – second place 2010 Samokov 74 kg

Personal life

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Soner Demirtaş was born to a butcher father as the third son of five in Çat village of Tokat on 25 June 1991. He is a student of physical education and sports at Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University in Karaman.[4][5][6] His three brothers are also sport wrestlers. He was inspired to take up wrestling by his eldest brother Bekir Demirtaş.[5]

Sports career

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Demirtaş internationally debuted at the Freestyle Wrestling – Junior World Championships 2010 held in Budapest, Hungary, where he captured the silver medal.[7]

He took part at the 2012 European Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.[5]

He participated at the 2013 European Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia.[5] He won the gold medal at the 2013 Mediterranean Games in Mersin, Turkey. He lost to Belarusian Ali Shabanau in the round of 16 at the 2013 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

He won the bronze medal at the 2014 European Championships in Vantaa, Finland.[8] Demirtaş lost to Jumber Kvelashvili of Georgia in the round of 32 at the 2014 World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

He became silver medalist at the 2015 European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.[9] He lost to Narsingh Pancham Yadav from India in the round of 16 at the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas, United States. Demirtaş became a second time European champion in 2017 at Novi Sad, Serbia.[2]

In March 2021, he competed at the European Qualification Tournament in Budapest, Hungary hoping to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.[10]

In 2022, he won the gold medal in his event at the Yasar Dogu Tournament held in Istanbul, Turkey. He competed in the 74 kg event at the 2022 World Wrestling Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia.[11]

In 2023, Soner Demirtaş, competing in the 2023 European Wrestling Championships freestyle 74 kilograms, defeated Azerbaijan's Dzhabrail Gadzhiev 5–4 in the repechage match. He won the bronze medal after his opponent Ali Pasha Umarpashaev, who competed for Bulgaria, did not compete due to injury.[12]

He won the silver medal in the men's 74 kg event at the 2024 European Wrestling Championships held in Bucharest, Romania.[13] He competed at the 2024 European Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan hoping to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.[14] He was eliminated in his second match and he did not qualify for the Olympics.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Soner Demirtaş: Aklımın ucundan şampiyonluk geçmiyordu". Fanatik (in Turkish). 12 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Avrupa Güreş Şampiyonası'nda erkekler serbest stil 74 kilpda Soner Demirtaş altın madalya kazandı". Milliyet (in Turkish). 4 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  3. ^ Soner Demirtaş. rio2016.com
  4. ^ "Milli Takım Kamp Listesi" (PDF) (in Turkish). Türkiye Güreş federasyonu. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d "Aynı aileden 4 güreşçi". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 17 March 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  6. ^ Soner Demirtaş. nbcolympics.com
  7. ^ "Soner Demirtaş Dünya 2.'si..." (in Turkish). İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi SJ. 25 July 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Soner Demirtaş Bronz madalya kazandı". TRT Spor (in Turkish). Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Soner Demirtaş'tan gümüş madalya". Fanatik (in Turkish). 17 June 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  10. ^ "2021 European Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament Results Book" (PDF). United World Wrestling. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  11. ^ "2022 World Wrestling Championships Results Book" (PDF). United World Wrestling. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Soner Demirtaş, Avrupa Üçüncüsü! - Spor Haberleri". 19 April 2023.
  13. ^ "2024 European Wrestling Championships Results Book" (PDF). United World Wrestling. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  14. ^ a b "2024 European Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament Results Book" (PDF). United World Wrestling. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
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