Rifat Yildiz

A Greco-Roman wrestler Rifat Yildiz was the stepbrother of Fuat Yildiz and represented West Germany at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and re-unified Germany at the following three Olympic Games in Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney. The Yildiz family came from Turkey but the brothers grew up in West Germany, and they received German citizenship in 1987. They are not twin brothers but rather unusually stepbrothers with the same date of birth.

Rifat Yildiz placed eighth at Seoul, won the silver medal at Barcelona in the bantamweight class, placing fifth in 1996 and fourth at Sydney. In 1990 and 1991, he crowned his wrestling career with World Championship titles, adding a silver in 1987. In 1992, he also was European Champion and won four more bronze medals in 1990, 1991, 1996 and 2000. Domestically, he won German titles from 1988-92 and in 1994 and 1996.

Yildiz turned to coaching after his active career and became chief coach at SC Siegfried Kleinostheim. By profession, he became a customer advisor at an insurance company.