Traditional Turkish oil wrestling is usually an all-men's affair, but when Sisi Zhang, a Chinese tourist visiting northeastern Türkiye's Artvin, insisted, the judges decided to let her have a go.
An avid sports fan, Zhang wanted to try oil wrestling when she saw athletes competing at the Artvin Plateau Festivals and asked the event organizers.
With the permission of the wrestling committee, the Chinese female tourist then faced an opponent from her weight class.
The 21st Söğütdüzü Plateau Festival, held in Artvin's Ardanuç district, was the scene of colorful scenes.
The match between Zhang and Egemen Levent, in the 65-kilogram weight class, created much interest among the festival goers.
Even though the Chinese tourist fought fiercely with her rival, she could not defeat Levent.
At the end of the wrestling, Levent raised his opponent's arm in the air and congratulated her.
Zhang said she was always interested in sports.
"When I saw the wrestlers, I wanted to try it. It was an interesting experience, I had a lot of fun."
She was also full of admiration for the city and its rich natural and cultural treasures.
"I liked Artvin very much. It is very nice to walk in the mountains and the plateaus. I have also attended some festivals in the mountains as well," she said.
She added that this was her second time in northeastern Türkiye, visiting Rize and Artvin. Zhang said the region has an idyllic nature.
"When I first came, I promised myself that I would come again. Nature is heavenly here. The people are very warm.
"They share everything with me. They shared their cheese and bread with me. I am an athlete and wrestling is a beautiful culture. So, I wanted to give it a go," she said.
