Yüksel Sarıçiçek wins silver at World Wrestling Championships

Turkish wrestler Yüksel Sarıçiçek secured a silver medal in the Greco-Roman 82kg category at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships held in Astana, Kazakhstan. Competing in the senior category for the first time, Sarıçiçek reached the final after defeating Halishan Bahejiang of China, Shahin Eidimohammad Badaghimofrad of Qatar, and Akzhol Makhmudov of Kyrgyzstan.

In the final match, Sarıçiçek lost 7-1 to Iran's Gholamreza Javad Farokhisenjani, who secured his second consecutive world title. Following the medal ceremony, Sarıçiçek attributed the loss to inexperience in the final stages but expressed his determination to win gold at the 2027 World Championships and pursue his Olympic dreams.

In other results from the tournament, veteran wrestler Rıza Kayaalp, a multiple-time world and European champion, was eliminated in the 130kg quarter-finals after a 5-3 loss to Finland's Matti Elias Kuosmanen. Because Kuosmanen did not reach the final, Kayaalp was not eligible for repechage. Additionally, İbrahim Tığcı remains in contention for a bronze medal in the 97kg category after advancing to the repechage rounds.