Taha Akgül was born on 22 November 1990 in the Yıldızeli district of Sivas. His father, Recep Akgül, worked as a laborer at the State Railways. He began wrestling in 2004 at the age of 14 at the Sivas Wrestling Training Center, where he received training for six years.

After completing his high school education, he enrolled in the Turkish Language Teaching Department at İzmir Dokuz Eylül University in 2008. However, due to his passion for wrestling, he paused his studies to focus on his sports career. He later graduated from the School of Physical Education and Sports at Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University and completed his master’s degree at the Institute of Health Sciences at Sivas Cumhuriyet University.

Early Years and Rise (2004–2011)

Taha Akgül began wrestling in 2004 at the age of 14 at the Sivas Wrestling Training Center. His natural physical talent, high motivation, and disciplined training quickly drew attention. In 2008 he was selected for the junior national team and began representing Türkiye in international tournaments.

• In 2009 he placed fifth at the World Junior Wrestling Championships.
• In 2010 he won a bronze medal at the European Junior Championships.
• In 2011 he won gold at the European Junior Championships held in Ankara, marking his first major international success.

Rise on the International Stage (2012–2016)

This period marked Akgül’s emergence as a continental and global athlete and one of the leading figures in European wrestling.

• 2012: Won gold in the freestyle 120 kg category at the European Championships in Belgrade. This was his first senior European title.
• He competed at the London 2012 Olympic Games the same year but was eliminated in the round of 16 due to inexperience.
• 2013: Won his second consecutive European Championship title in Tbilisi.
• 2014: Secured his third European Championship title and won his first world championship at the World Wrestling Championships in Uzbekistan that same year.
• 2015: Added another European title and became world champion again at the World Championships in Las Vegas.

Rio 2016 Olympic Gold

• In 2016, at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, he won the gold medal in the freestyle 125 kg category, reaching the peak of his career.
• This victory marked Türkiye’s first Olympic gold medal in this weight class and transformed Akgül into a symbolic figure of modern Turkish wrestling.

Injuries, Comeback, and Stability (2017–2021)

Following Rio, despite facing some injury issues, Akgül continued his career at the European level.

• 2017–2019: Won the European Championship for three consecutive years.
• His victory over Georgian opponent Geno Petriashvili in the final of the 2018 European Championships is regarded as one of the historic matches in the sport.
• 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (held in 2021 due to the pandemic): Akgül lost to Petriashvili in the semifinals and did not reach the final, but defeated American Nick Gwiazdowski in the bronze medal match to win the bronze medal.

Toward Retirement (2022–2024)

• 2022: Won his third world championship title at the World Championships in Belgrade, returning to the world summit after eight years.
• 2023: Won the European Championship in Zagreb, securing his 10th European Championship title.
• 2024: Won his 11th European Championship at the European Wrestling Championships in Romania, becoming the most decorated freestyle wrestler in European history.
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games: Won a bronze medal in his final Olympic appearance.
• He retired from active wrestling after the tournament.
• Following his retirement, he took on a role within the Turkish Wrestling Federation’s administration.
• In 2024, he was elected President of the Turkish Wrestling Federation.
• He launched initiatives to support young talent, develop infrastructure, and address mental health issues in sports.