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MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2016 SPORTS Venerable Istanbul football side with opposition streak ISTANBUL: Besiktas football club of claimed the bombings. “Terrorists... gurated the brand new waterfront stadi- became football but like most Turkish this was due to fears Erdogan could be Istanbul, is one of Turkey’s oldest sports attacked our heroic security forces who um on the Bosphorus and the team has clubs it proudly remains a multi-sports booed by fans at a match. organisations with an impassioned fan ensure that both our fans and played to packed stands ever since. club. The club’s famously leftist and anti- The club won the Super Lig title last base known for their opposition to the Bursaspor’s supporters are safe. We will Besiktas in 2013 played for the last establishment fan club Carsi are seen as season with its star player Mario Gomez authorities. stand firm against the vile attackers who time at their old stadium in the same natural foes of Erdogan and like to chant of Germany who was top scorer in the Twenty nine people, mainly police will never achieve their goal,” the club historic location on the shores of the slogans against his rule. Super Lig. officers, were killed on Saturday in dou- said in a statement. Bosphorus just above the Ottoman-era Carsi members played a key role in But Gomez shattered fans by leaving ble attacks outside its stadium that fol- The club said that among those killed Dolmabahce Palace. 2013 protests against Erdogan over the in the close season, saying he could not lowed the club’s home Super Lig match was Vefa Karakurdu, a senior police offi- That stadium-which was named after development of an Istanbul park that carry on due to the political situation in against Bursaspor in the brand new cer in charge of security at games who the second president of modern Turkey represented one of the biggest chal- the wake of the failed July 15 coup. Vodafone Arena opened earlier this year. was a member of its congress, and Tunc Ismet Inonu-was knocked down and the lenges to the Turkish strongman. Luminaries from the past of Besiktas Besiktas won the match 2-1, boosting Uncu who worked at its official mer- over 40,000 capacity Vodafone Arena Thirty five members of the group including English former manager its title hopes to make the club joint chandise shop. built in its place. were put on trial on widely-ridiculed Gordon Milne, 79, who guided the club leaders with local rivals Basaksehir. But The attacks took place around the charges of trying to stage a coup but all in a stellar period from 1987-1994, and now the night of December 10, 2016 will perimeter of the gleaming new stadium OPPOSITION STREAK were acquitted in late December 2015. taking consecutive titles in 1990, 1991 be remembered not for football but for a that is the pride and joy of the club’s fans The club was founded as a gymnas- To the amusement of fans, the April 4 and 1992. The club’s fans are also known tragedy that will forever leave a mark on who call their beloved side the Kara tics club under the Ottoman Empire in opening of the stadium did not take for their irreverent humour including the club’s history, which goes back to Kartal (Black Eagle). Turkish President 1903 and its full name is still Besiktas place at a game but at a ceremony in slogans like “it’s not about you and me, the Ottoman Empire. So far no-one has Recep Tayyip Erdogan had in April inau- Gymnastics Club (BJK). Its focus rapidly front of almost empty stands. Some said it’s Besiktas!”. — AFP Emotional Brazel scores win of career at Hong Kong Open HONG KONG: Unheralded Australian Sam winner, called the victory “life-changing” for Brazel wept yesterday after clinching the Brazel, adding: “You beauty!” Cabrera Bello, Hong Kong Open in thrilling style with a who has not won on the European Tour birdie at the final hole, sealing by far the since the 2012 Dubai Desert Classic, had to biggest victory of his career. The world settle for second place, finishing with a number 480 defeated Spanish Ryder Cup round of 268. Australia’s Andrew Dodt and star Rafa Cabrera Bello-ranked 447 places England’s Tommy Fleetwood were tied above him-on the 18th after Brazel agonis- third on 11 under par at 269. ingly missed a birdie on the 17th. The first prize cheque of $333,330 more Brazel, 37, whose partner died suddenly than trebled Brazel’s earnings for the sea- from bacterial meningitis in 2009, cried as son on the Asian Tour, and until Sunday the he dedicated the improbable victory to his highlight of his career was fourth place at family, saying: “This is for you guys.” the World Classic Championship in Asked if he had a message for his loved Singapore last year. Brazel had been tied at ones, his voice again cracked as he added: 12 under par with Cabrera Bello going into “I’d just say thanks for the support over the last hole, but a stunning second shot many years. “It’s been a bit of a tough ride.” from the fairway saw the Australian within Brazel had never won a four-round tour- 15 feet of the flag. nament before yesterday, and until he The Spaniard was also on to the green in gained his Asian Tour card in 2013 was two shots but could not make the putt, grinding out results on lower-level circuits while Brazel sunk his to thunderous cheers. such as the Queensland Sunshine Tour in Brazel said he had been a “nervous wreck” Australia. He admitted he was still in shock on the back nine as a host of players jock- from his giant-killing total of 267, which eyed for the leadership. also saw off a challenge from US Masters But his nerves did not appear to affect champion Danny Willett, who had held the his play, with three consecutive birdies on lead at one point but ended in sixth place holes 11, 12 and 13, seeing him move into on 271. “I certainly didn’t expect to be in the lead-and a remarkable tee shot on the MARSEILLE: Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan, left, celebrates his gold medal with Shoma Uno of Japan with bronze medal after the Men Skating Program here this afternoon but I’m thoroughly par-three 12th which rolled to within a foot during ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Marseille, southern France, Saturday. — AP impressed that I am!” he said as he faced of the hole was possibly the pick of the the media. “I was supposed to be taking a bunch. 9.30 flight back to Australia tonight but I Elsewhere, defending champion Justin Hanyu, Medvedeva retain don’t think I’ll be making that!” Rose, who was struggling with a bad back, He had earlier said winning the $2 mil- was never in contention and ended the lion Hong Kong Open would “mean the week with at two under par 278. world” to him-and his fellow Australian And US Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed, titles despite flaws golfers including Scott Hend mobbed him who came third last year, admitted he had on the final green to douse him in cham- had a “rough” time, ending at just one pagne. Hend, the Asian Tour Order of Merit under par on 279. — AFP MARSEILLE: Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu became the first skater to win four straight men’s Grand Prix Final titles on Saturday as Russian teenager Canada’s ‘Marathon Man’ Evgenia Medvedeva defended her women’s crown. Olympic champion Hanyu took gold despite a fall which saw the 22-year-old place achieves Afghan ambition just third in the free skating final in Marseille. BAMIYAN: Crossing the finish line of American Nathan Chen landed four quadruple Afghanistan’s Bamiyan marathon, hand in RECORD BREAKER jumps in his free skate to move up from fifth to hand with a young female runner from the Parnell, known in Canada as the ‘Marathon silver medal position with Japan’s Shoma Uno country, Canada’s famed ‘Marathon Man’, Man’, sees the sport as a form of meditation taking a second consecutive bronze. Martin Parnell felt a double victory. and admits he struggles when he’s unable to The three men’s favourites-Hanyu, Spaniard Just a year earlier he had been diagnosed run. “One of the hardest times was after I was Javier Fernandez and Canadian Patrick Chan-all with blood clot on the brain. Doctors put him diagosed with the clot. I had double vision had bad tumbles during the elite six-skater com- in a coma to save his life, and it was unclear if and had to sit on my sofa. It was five months petition. “I don’t know what happened today. I he would ever run again. But while convalesc- before I could start running again,” he was feeling a little tired, every jump was hard,” ing, he stumbled across news of the first explains. It hasn’t always been his passion, the said Hanyu who scored 293.90 points in total, Afghan woman to run a marathon. Inspired, retired mining engineer came to the sport late over ten points ahead of Chen (282.85), who put he made a promise to himself. in life. Parnell says: “When I started in 2002 it the US men back on the podium for the first “I said..