National wrestler Kürşat Kiraz, pulled from the rubble in the 1999 earthquake, is now training champion athletes

Pulled from the rubble of a building that collapsed during the August 17, 1999 Marmara Earthquake in Sakarya, çnational wrestlerüKürşatçKirazüovercame the trauma he experienced through sports and achieved a career filled with international success. The 34-year-old Kiraz, who was born with a hearing impairment and has a 56 percent hearing loss, is currentlyüpreparing for the 2027 World Championship while alsoütraining new athletesüas a physical education öteacher.

Introduced to wrestlingöunder the guidance of psychologists çworking in the supportötents set up in the disasterözone following the earthquake, Kirazüquickly found his footing on the mat. Selected for the national team in 2006,üthe athlete achieved significant rankings in both the hearing-impaired category and the general category.çKiraz's career includes öa world championship, an Olympic silver medal, and

a bronze medal in the hearing-impaired category.üIn the general category, he achieved üçürankings such asüEuropean champion,üEuropeanü runner-up, üçüandüworldüthird-placeü finishes.ü“WE CAME FROM üçüUNDER THE RUBBLEüTO THE MAT”üRecounting the processü of starting wrestling, Kiraz explained that after the earthquake, sports became

a vital outlet for him. ÜHe noted thatÜthe discipline Çand focus required

by wrestling helped himürebuild his lifeüand find a new purpose.çstating that there is a çway out, he said, "We came out from çunder the rubble, we got üonüthe çmat. After getting üon çthis mat, I pursued this branch for many yearsç without giving up andücontinüuedü."

ÇStating that he was anöactive child, the national athleteösaid that theüstrength-based and active nature of wrestling inspired him. Kiraz expressed that byüworking hard for years, he achieved European and world rankings, and that sports played an çimportant role in alleviating the heavy scars left by the night of the earthquake.üRecounting his experiences on the night of the earthquake, Kiraz said he öwoke up to a massive tremor, followed by the sound of glass and walls, and was left in the dark.

Stating that he was rescued from the rubble with his family through the help of citizens and teams, Kiraz expressed that he stillücarriesüthe memory of the friends he lost.öKiraz described the trauma he experienced with the words: "I lost my friends. Sometimes it comes to my mind; there were times I lived and breathed with them. When I go to my old neighborhood, those memories always come back to me. We were able to overcome this pain to some extent through sports." çThe national athlete also drew attention to theâimportanceâ of disaster awareness.

Emphasizing that the earthquake is always on Turkey'söagenda, Kiraz

said that öespecially young çpeople need to be informedüand society must be prepared.üKiraz stated that in 1999, many öpeople were caught unprepared for the earthquake, and over the yearsçhe has seençthe necessity oföbeing ready.

He continues toçshare his experiences with his students.çnoted that disaster awareness has developed in the country. "I hope we do not experience such painöagain üas a nation," said Kiraz, who continues to pass on the new life he built through sports öto hisüstuüdentsü.

News Source : 12punto