Turks confident for billiards tournament

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

National teams members Eylül Kibaroğlu (2R) and Serdar Gümüş (C) pose with journalists, including Hürriyet Daily News Economy Editor Ali Kayalar (R).

The Turkish artistic billiards team is determined to win multiple medals at the world championship, which will kick off in the northern province of Samsun on Sept. 12.

All of the players on the national team have a chance at winning a title, said Uğur Kurugöllü, head of the Turkish Billiards Federation, speaking at an event held in Istanbul on Aug. 19 to promote the tournament.

Members of the Turkish team, including former world champion Hacı Arap Yaman and former European champion Serdar Gümüş, along with Sinem Ökten, Eylül Kibaroğlu and Koray Kirman, demonstrated trick shots at a shopping mall in central Istanbul as part of the two-day event.

While preparing for a mini three-cushion cup among a group of journalists who joined the promotion campaign, Yaman said he will do all he can to win the gold medal again. 

Kurugöllü said he was proud of the team despite some financial difficulties they have been facing. The sport needs regulations in order to attract sponsors, he said. “Our players are doing well at every tournament they participate in. We are expecting at least three medals in Samsun.”

Hürriyet Daily News Economy Editor Ali Kayalar won the title in the press tournament, beating Agency Europe & Anatolia’s Abdullah Ekşioğlu in the final game. 

Some 25 international artistic billiards masters from 20 countries will compete at the five-day world championship in Samsun.