He was the athlete who brought Turkey its first Olympic medal: Who is Gazanfer Bilge?

Gazanfer Bilge (23 July 1924, Karamürsel, Kocaeli – 20 April 2008)

He started his wrestling career at the age of 17. He joined the national wrestling team during his military service. After winning the European championship, he brought Turkey its first Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling in London. He quit wrestling in 1953. He was married and had a child. He served for a long time as part of the sports club in Kasımpaşa, one of the historical districts of Istanbul, and is considered the club's greatest athlete ever.

Gazanfer Bilge (July 23, 1924 – April 20, 2008) was a Turkish sports wrestler who won the gold medal in the Featherweight class of Men's Freestyle Wrestling at the 1948 Olympics.

In 1946, he became the European champion in freestyle 62 kilos in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, and in 1948 he became the Olympic champion in the same style and weight at the London Olympics. Bilge, who left wrestling in 1953 and went into business, was awarded the "Distinguished Service Medal" by the 2nd President İsmet İnönü, the 6th President Fahri Korutürk, the 9th President Süleyman Demirel and Bülent Arınç when he was the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, for his charities and services.

Bilge recently became the first Turk to be awarded the "World Fair Play Honor Award" by the Olympic Committee.

His body was buried in the Dereköy neighborhood cemetery in the Karamürsel district of Kocaeli, one of the provinces of Turkey by the Marmara Sea.