Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University is hosting another important organization of university sports. The Inter-University Arm Wrestling Turkey Championship, organized by the Turkish University Sports Federation (TÜSF), started in Burdur between March 4-6, 2026.
A total of 240 athletes from 59 universities from all over Turkey are competing for the Turkey championship, with 170 male and 70 female athletes participating in the championship. At the end of the three-day organization, medals and trophies will be presented to the athletes who achieve rankings. The tournament is planned to be completed on Friday, March 6, at noon.
“Facilities are at an exemplary level”
Speaking at the opening ceremony, TÜSF Technical Board Member and Kütahya Dumlupınar University faculty member Prof. Dr. Aydın Şentürk stated that they have been working for many years for the development of university sports. Şentürk, who expressed that they have previously received positive feedback about the sports facilities of Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, said that the physical infrastructure and organizational capability of the facilities are at an exemplary level.
Şentürk emphasized the importance of operating the facilities sustainably and offering them to athletes with a professional approach, and highlighted that Burdur is a city that opens its doors to both national and international organizations. He thanked the university administration and staff who contributed to the organization.
Şentürk stated that the championship directly qualifies as the Turkey Championship and expressed their hope that arm wrestling will have a stronger presence in the international calendar in the future, while the federation continues international processes in other branches.
“We will host 2,000 athletes in March”
Rector Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Dalgar also expressed in his speech that they are proud to host the Turkey Championship as a university. Dalgar stated that they will undertake important organizations in different branches throughout March, with chess in the middle of the month and wrestling championships at the end of the month.
Dalgar noted that they expect to host approximately 2,000 athletes in Burdur during March, emphasizing that the organizations are not only sporting events but also an indicator of the city's promotion and the university's institutional capacity. He thanked all the staff who contributed to the success.
A comprehensive center in sports medicine is the goal
Rector Dalgar stated that the camp center established within the university has a strong infrastructure that is rare in Turkey, and their main goal is to make this investment sustainable. He mentioned that they are focused on strengthening the institutional structure and making the system permanent.
A new era in sports begins with the Faculty of Medicine
Rector Dalgar emphasized the critical role the Faculty of Medicine will play in the field of sports, stating:
“At this point, our Faculty of Medicine is taking on a very important responsibility. We are continuing our work with a competent and strong team in the field of sports medicine. Our goal is to provide all the services that professional or amateur teams coming here may need throughout the year under one roof. We want to make every facility a team might need accessible here, from sports medicine support to performance measurements, from laboratory services to athlete psychology and nutrition, and personalized training programs.
We are implementing this vision step by step. Our teams have gained significant experience in organization management, the culture of working together has strengthened, and a serious institutional capacity has been formed. This has become one of the most valuable achievements for us.
In addition to its strong mission in agriculture and animal husbandry, our university is also making sports a second focus area. Thanks to this structure we have built on solid foundations, we aim to be a sustainable and exemplary sports center for many years.”
In the championship, which will last for three days, medals and trophies will be presented to the athletes who achieve rankings after the final matches on Friday, March 6.
