Obituary

Olympic champ Ogan passes away at 89

By United World Wrestling Press

COSIER-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 29) --- İsmail OGAN (TUR), the two-time Olympic medalist and 1964 Tokyo Olympic champion, passed away earlier this week. He was 89 years old.

Ogan was born on March 5, 1933, in the Macun Village, Aksu District of Antalya, Turkey. He began his storied wrestling career in 1950 under the tutelage of trainers Yaşar DOGU (TUR) and Celal ATIK (TUR).

Olgan quickly made a name for himself in the wrestling world, winning three world medals and gold and silver medals at the Olympic Games. He started his impressive international career with a silver-medal finish at the 1957 Istanbul World Championships. Two years later, he won a second medal on the world stage, claiming bronze at the 1959 Tehran World Championships.

A year later, Olgan won a silver medal at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games after falling to American Douglas BLUGAUGH in the 73kg finals. But Olgan saved his most impressive performance for the final competition of his career, the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. He defeated two-time world champion Guliko SAGARADZE (USSR) and improved his Rome Olympic silver to a Tokyo Olympic gold.

After retiring from wrestling following the 1964 Games, Olgan continued to give back to the wrestling community by coaching young Turkish athletes.

African Champion Kleinjan Combrinck, 23, Has Died

By Eric Olanowski

CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Kleinjan COMBRINCK, 2018 African Champion in freestyle wrestling at 57kg, died Sunday morning in a car accident near his home in South Africa.

Combrinck, 23, recently represented South Africa at the 2018 Commonwealth Games where he took fifth-place. Ranked as high as 12th in the world, Combrinck’s next competition was expected to be the 2018 U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania.

Michael GAITSKILL, who also competed on South Africa’s 2018 Commonwealth Games team was in the car with Combrinck and in is the intensive care unit in critical condition.

In a statement released by SASCOC, South Africa’s umbrella sports body, President Gideon Sam said, “The loss of Kleinjan and the serious injury to Michael rocks the very heart of the SA sporting family. Both these two fine men were excellent wrestlers and also brilliant ambassadors for South African sport on the international front.”