Arzu Özyiğit

Arzu Özyiğit
Position Center
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
League Turkish Women's Basketball Second League-Turkish Women's Basketball League-Euroleague Women
Team Canik Belediyespor, Samsun Province (2010-2011)
Born October 16, 1972 (1972-10-16) (age 39)
Tarsus, Mersin, Turkey
Nationality  Turkey
Pro career 1984–present
Career history Botaş Spor, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, Beşiktaş, Istanbul University, Panserraikos, Mersin BB

Arzu Özyiğit Bildirir (born October 16, 1972 in Tarsus, Turkey), née Arzu Özyiğit,[1] is a Turkish female basketball player. The 1.88 m (6' 2") international competitor plays in the center position.

Özyiğit started basketball in 1984 with Botaş Spor in Adana. After she played with several clubs like İÜSK, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, Özyiğit moved to the Greek club Panserraikos in 2002. Özyiğit returned home and played for Fenerbahçe, Kocaeli BB and Beşiktaş.[2][3][4]

She was 5-time member of the Turkish girls’ and 190-time member of the Turkish women’s national team, a record in the country. Özyiğit won 18 champion title with her clubs.[2] She is the first player in Turkey, who won the championship at four different teams. The latest one with Beşiktaş as the team’s captain in 2005.[5] She transferred to Mersin BB team in July 2005.

Özyiğit was also captain of the gold medal-winning team at the 2005 Mediterranean Games in Almería, Spain. She could not play at the final match because of complications with her pregnancy, but the team squad dedicated the medal to her.

In 2009, she became trainer of the Turkey under-20 women's national basketball team that participated at the 2009 FIBA U20 championships held in Gdynia, Poland.[6] She served in 2010 also as trainer at a basketball school in Kartal, Istanbul.[5] In November 2010, Arzu Özyiğit returned to active sports transferring to Canik Belediyespor, a club in Samsun Province, which plays in the Turkish Women's Basketball Second League (TKB2L).[7][8]

In June 2003, she married to busiessman Mustafa Bildirir.[9] He owns an Italian cuisine restaurant "Pulcinella" at Kozyatağı neighborhood in Kadıköy district of Istanbul, where she also helps out whenever she finds time.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Arzu Özyiğit'in büyük acısı" (in Turkish). Baybul. 2008-04-21. http://baybul.com/genel-konular/241948-arzu-ozyigitin-buyuk-acisi.html. Retrieved 2011-04-03. 
  2. ^ a b "Eski Ünlü Basketbolcu Arzu Özyiğit, Tarsus’a Geldi" (in Turkish). Tarsus Yeni Doğuş. 2009-01-09. http://www.yenidogus.net/habergoster.asp?id=1146. Retrieved 2011-04-03. 
  3. ^ "Potadan Haberler-Dişi Kartal'dan dört imza" (in Turkish). Fto aç. 2004-07-17. http://www.fotomac.com.tr/2004/07/17/akt110.html. Retrieved 2011-04-03. 
  4. ^ "Beşiktaş, Esmeral ve Arzu ile anlaştı" (in Turkish). CNN Türk Basketbol. 2004-*7-14. http://www.cnnturk.com/2004/spor/basketbol/07/14/besiktas.esmeral.ve.arzu.ile.anlasti/20774.0/index.html. Retrieved 2011-04-03. 
  5. ^ a b "Biz Kimiz? Arzu Özyiğit" (in Turkish). Asİstanbul Spor Kulübü-Basketbol Okullları. http://asistanbull.wordpress.com/biz-kimiz/. Retrieved 2011-04-03. 
  6. ^ "Ümit Milli Bayan Takımı Polonya'da" (in Turkish). Spor X. 2009-07-07. http://www.sporx.com/basketbol/basketmilli/umit-milli-bayan-takimi-polonyadaSXHBQ159227SXQ. Retrieved 2011-04-03. 
  7. ^ "Özyiğit bombası" (in Turkish). Haber Gazetesi. 2010-11-17. http://www.habergazetesi.com.tr/haberdetay.php?katID=4&id=72685. Retrieved 2011-04-03. 
  8. ^ "Canik zirveye ortak oldu" (in Turkish). Halk Gazetesi. 10 January 2011. http://www.halkgazetesi.com.tr/news_detail.php?id=24823. Retrieved 3 April 2011. 
  9. ^ "Kaptan Arzu'nun mutlu günü" (in Turkish). Hürriyet. 2003-06-08. http://hurarsiv.hurriyet.com.tr/goster/ShowNew.aspx?id=163718. Retrieved 2011-04-03. 
  10. ^ "Gece Gündüz İstanbul-Pizzayı bir de Pulcinella'da yiyin" (in Turkish). Vatan. 2004-08-07. http://haber.gazetevatan.com/Haber/33327/1/Gundem. Retrieved 2011-04-03.