Aba wrestling
- 1
- coach
Aba wrestling is an ancient traditional form of Turkish wrestling. Wrestlers hold each other by the aba and by parts of the body and try to throw the opponent onto their back. Since 2016 Azerbaijani athletes have competed in the most prestigious aba wrestling events and have repeatedly achieved high results. The best results have been achieved by Aslan Mirzayev, Eyvaz Bakhshiyev, Jeyhun Huseynov, Gnyaz Mahmudlu, Mirfattah Seyidaliyev and Tapdig Karimli.
Origins
Aba wrestling takes its name from the thick woollen vest the wrestlers wear, the aba. It is especially widespread in the Gaziantep and Hatay regions of Türkiye. It used to be held at harvest time and at weddings; today it lives on at festivals. An aba wrestling festival is held every year in the Yayladağı district of Hatay.
Attire
Wrestlers wear a felt aba vest and short trousers and tie a belt around the waist.
Sources
Coaches
Alakbar Alavsarov
Head coach, aba wrestling