Hamit Kaplan

Hamit Kaplan remains the most decorated Turkish Olympic wrestler, securing gold in the +87 kg freestyle at the 1956 Melbourne Games. His career includes two additional Olympic bronze medals (1960, 1964) and two World Championship golds (1954, 1957), a medal haul that distinctly outperforms #2 Mersinli Ahmet both in count and sustained excellence across multiple cycles. Kaplan also captured European Championship gold in 1956 with a perfect 6-0 record, completing a season where he pinned all six opponents. His total of five Olympic medals across three Games—a feat unmatched by any other Turkish wrestler—sets a benchmark for durability and dominance in the sport.