Serbia, Turkey to face off in Mediterranean Games basketball finals

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

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Beating Tunisia 77-69 in semifinals in the men’s basketball at the 17th Mediterranean Games in the southern province of Mersin, Turkey has become the rival of Serbia in the finals.

Serbia became the first finalist after its 94-49 win over Macedonia on June 22. Darko Balaban with 19 scores, Malesevic with 13, and Arnautovic with 11, played key roles in Serbia’s triumph. The two teams will face off tomorrow for the title.

Meanwhile, Italy defeated Egypt 83-40 completing the 2013 MedGames in 5th place followed by Egypt in 6th and Algeria in 7th spots.

Meanwhile, Turkish athletes continued to put up a strong fight as the weekend’s events unfolded at the 17th Mediterranean Games, taking home a number of medals, including gold.

Brothers Ali and Yunus Sarı each scored in taekwondo, in different weights, with Ali clinching the champion’s title in the over 80 kilos, and Yunus following him with a bronze at 80. The brothers said they were pleased with the results, and said they would have another sibling joining them for the World Championship that is set to take place in Mexico next year.

“Our aim was to get eight out eight gold medals as the taekwondo national squat. And we could have achieved that, but we had some bad luck in some of our matches. I trust all my friends. They will do great things,” Yunus told Anatolia news agency.

World and European champion Turkish Riza Kayaalp won the gold medal for wrestling in the men’s 120 kg by overcoming his opponent Radhwen Chebbi of Tunisia. Another world and European champion Selcuk Çebi also bested French Samba Diong 2-0 in the men’s 84 kg, and Atakan Yüksel clinched gold for the 66 kg.

Turkey’s Fatih Ucuncu took home the silver medal after losing out to Egypt’s Haithem Mahmoud.
Turkish Bahar Buker won the bronze medal on June 22 in the women’s 63 kg judo. The semi-finals of the same category ended with Buker’s holding the bronze medal together with Moroccan Rizlen Kaida Zouak, who defeated Italian Edwige Gwend.

Swimmer Halime Zülal Zeren, who skipped the national university entrance examinations to keep up with competitions that led to the Mersin games, took home the bronze medal. The 18-year-old said she planned to represent Turkey in the upcoming Olympic Games as well.

PM congratulates athletes

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent messages of congratulations to the gold medal-winning athletes, according to a statement made by the prime ministry. Aylin Daşdelen, Atakan Yüksel and Rıza Kayaalp each received a message from the prime minister, who congratulated the athletes for their gold medals in the competition.

Turkey, however, failed to achieve the winning titles in various categories, including giving in to the Croatian team in the men’s water polo. Turkey also ranked fourth in the men’s artistic gymnastics, with Spain clinching the gold medal on the first day of team contests on June 22.

Carlo Allais of Italy won the gold medal in the men’s water ski slalom on June 23. Competing in the same category, Turkish Burcu Yasemin Demirok came in 8th and Benan Berhan was took the 10th spot.