By Emre Asikci
ISTANBUL (AA) — Riza Kayaalp became European Champion for the 12th time on Saturday in Greco-Roman 130 kilogram at the 2023 European Wrestling Championship in Croatia.
Kayaalp, 33, defeated Sabah Saleh Shariati from Azerbaijan with a 2-1 result to win the gold medal in the Croatian capital Zagreb.
The Turkish wrestling star respectively beat Serbia's Boris Petrusic, Norway's Oskar Marvik, and Lithuania's Mantas Knystautas to advance to the final.
With this gold, Kayaalp equaled Aleksandr Karelin's record of 12 European gold medals.