Following the devastating earthquakes that struck Kahramanmaraş and surrounding provinces on Feb. 6, many families were forced to rebuild their lives from scratch. One such family is the Olgars, who relocated from Hatay to the Manavgat district of Antalya in search of a fresh start.
Among them is 13-year-old Zehra Olgar, who, despite facing numerous challenges, has emerged as a shining example of resilience and determination by becoming Türkiye’s arm wrestling champion.
The earthquakes, measuring 7.8 and 7.5 in magnitude, caused widespread destruction across 11 provinces, including Hatay, where the Olgar family lived. The disaster severely impacted the local infrastructure, including the education and health care systems, compelling families like the Olgars to seek safer environments in which to rebuild their lives.
They chose Manavgat, Antalya, as their new home, where Zehra enrolled at Hacı Şayeste Mustafa Güneş Middle School.
Zehra’s journey into arm wrestling began after her physical education teacher, Ahmet Ürün, announced opportunities for students to participate in various sports disciplines.
Motivated by previous informal arm wrestling matches with her friends, Zehra joined the school’s arm wrestling team despite the limited facilities. The team’s early training sessions took place in the modest gym of a teammate’s residential complex, reflecting their determination despite scarce resources.
Through rigorous practice and unwavering commitment, Zehra quickly rose through the ranks. She first clinched the Antalya championship, followed by a regional victory and ultimately secured the title of Türkiye champion in the over-65-kilogram heavyweight category at the School Sports Arm Wrestling Championship held in Gümüşhane.
Reflecting on her achievements, Zehra shared that the aftermath of the earthquake initially made her withdraw from social interaction, but sports helped her transform both herself and her environment.
“After moving to Manavgat, I spent a whole year without making any friends,” Zehra revealed. “I tried not to show my younger brother the hardships we faced. Making him happy made me happy as well," she said
She continued, "My success has been a great source of comfort for my mother. I believe I can achieve even more and I want to make my family even prouder. When I compete, I get very determined. I was confident I would win.”
Zehra’s mother, Emine Olgar, has been battling health issues for over a decade, including ongoing cancer treatment. She called her daughter’s success the greatest joy amid their struggles.
“Because of my health and limited job opportunities, we moved to Manavgat. Life in Hatay after the earthquake was very difficult for my children,” Emine said.
She added that the collapse of education and health care systems severely affected her children’s mental health. “During the first year, they struggled to make friends and felt isolated. Zehra didn’t have the strength to form friendships for a whole year.”
Zehra’s father, Süleyman Olgar, stressed the importance of sports in child development. “Education alone isn’t enough. Children should explore different areas. We are very proud of Zehra and hope to see her succeed at the European level,” he said.
Physical education teacher Ahmet Ürün recalled the team’s journey. “We announced the arm wrestling team in November. Zehra and another student joined and we won the Antalya championship.”
“Thanks to the support from the local headman and school principal, a fitness center sponsored our training. Zehra advanced through regional qualifiers and won first place in the national finals for the over-65-kilogram category,” Ürün added.
Having completed a physical education internship in the U.S., Ürün believes in the power of sports to transform lives, especially for disadvantaged students.
“Zehra came from the earthquake zone and was initially withdrawn. Sports lifted her spirits and gave hope to her family," he said.
