Riza Kayaalp

Born on October 10, 1989, in Yozgat, Turkey, Riza Kayaalp rose to prominence as a decorated Greco-Roman wrestler, representing Turkey in international competitions beginning in 2005. Kayaalp attended Aksaray University, where he studied Physical Education and Sports, later earning a master’s degree at Bozok University while simultaneously building a wrestling career punctuated by Olympic medals and world titles. His Olympic debut came in 2008 at the Beijing Games, marking the start of an illustrious career that would see him win bronze at the 2012 London Olympics and silver at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where he also served as Turkey’s flag bearer. Kayaalp secured his first major international gold medal at the 2009 Mediterranean Games, setting the stage for a decade of dominance in European and World Championships.

Throughout his career, Kayaalp maintained a fierce rivalry with Mijain Lopez, experiencing both victories and defeats in major championship finals. Kayaalp secured qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and in early 2024, he earned a silver medal at the European Championships. However, his career took an unforeseen turn when, on July 1, 2024, the International Testing Agency issued him a four-year ban due to a positive test for Trimetazidine, leading to his retirement from professional wrestling.