Hard Work Leads to Squash Triumph for IE Student

In cooperation with the University Sports Federation, Turkey's first interuniversity squash tournament was held at Bilkent April 13-15.

Approximately seven university teams participated in this new event. The Bilkent men's and women's teams, despite their best efforts, lost their matches to the Anadolu University and Sabancı University teams.

However, in the men's singles division, Emrullah Koyunlu took the championship trophy without losing a match. ''Emrullah has worked very hard and prepared for this competition over the past two years. In the mornings he did general conditioning; in the evenings he worked with squash coaches. He also participated in local tournaments to improve his level of play and increase his experience in the game,'' said Dr. Hayri  Özkan, director of the Physical Education and Sports Center.

''Emrullah got started in this sport by taking a squash course at the Sports Center. Because of his eagerness to learn more, he met and played squash with almost all the players and coaches at Bilkent,'' said squash coach Hüseyin Gümüş, who is a Bilkent graduate and a member of the Turkish national squash team. ''This way, he improved his technique and tactics by playing against different opponents.''

Emrullah's dedication, hard work and consistency paid off. While pursuing his studies in the Department of Industrial Engineering, he also became a champion in squash.