Fatme Shaban is the youngest female member of the Bulgarian National Wrestling Team. The seventeen-year-old athlete has scored victories at a number of wrestling competitions. At the end of March 2021, Fatme earned a gold medal at the International Wrestling Tournament “Petko Sirakov-Ivan Iliev” Seniors (under 23 years).

When she was only eleven years old, the young Bulgarian athlete engaged in wrestling in the village of Samuil (Razgrad district). Later, she continued her education at a sports school in Razgrad, where she met her current coach Deniz Hamid.

“Fatme is a very talented athlete. She wants to learn, reads a lot and is an excellent student. Moreover, she is very self-disciplined. She reads books and develops when she is nor preparing for wrestling competitions”, said Fatme’s coach. The young Bulgarian wrestler admires the success of the prominent Bulgarian wrestlers Taybe Yusein and Miglena Selishka. She also admires Evelina Nikolova who recently earned a quota for the forthcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Fatme Shaban and the Bulgarian Women’s National Wrestling Team have achieved a lot:

“I am a five-time champion of Bulgaria. I also earned two silver medals at the national wrestling tournament. Recently, I won the title at the International Wrestling Tournament Petko Sirakov. I participated at two European Wrestling Championships and one World Wrestling Championships. I also earned medals at wrestling tournaments held in Bulgaria, Romania and Spain”, said the young Bulgarian athlete. Recently, she joined the Bulgarian Women’s National Wrestling Team during its last training camp where Bulgaria’s athletes were preparing for the forthcoming Summer Olympics.

Painting is Fatme’s favorite hobby. “I feel relaxed when I paint”, said the young Bulgarian wrestler.

The talented athlete sent a message to those who are working hard to become successful: “I wish them to walk with confidence on their path and never give up when they face difficulties. The time will come when they will reap the fruit of their labor.”

There are many promising athletes in this sport. Wrestling continues to be among the traditional sports in Razgrad and the Ludogorie region, contends Fatme’s coach Deniz Hamid.

Written by: Uzlem Tefikova

English version: Kostadin Atanasov