The next goal of the Samsunspor Bocce Team, which finished third at the European U23 Petanque Championship, is the championship title.

Competing as a team from Alaçam at the European U23 Petanque Championship held in Spain between 3–5 October, Merve Deniz, Melike Coşguner, and Semra Akyol secured third place.

The athletes, who became European bronze medalists in petanque, one of the sub-branches of bocce, aim to become European champions at the next tournament and have the Turkish National Anthem played.

One of the athletes on the team, Semra Akyol, stated that she graduated from Şadiye Muzaffer Turhan Anatolian High School in Alaçam and is currently continuing her education at Ondokuz Mayıs University Yaşar Doğu Faculty of Sports Sciences, Department of Coaching Education.

Explaining that she started bocce in the fifth grade and that the sport played a major role in her decision to pursue coaching education, Semra Akyol stated that she wants to become a good coach like her coach Gökhan Bozdemir and train athletes in the future.

Noting that they qualified for the European Championship in Spain by finishing first at the national team trials held in Kırıkkale, Semra Akyol said:

“We became European third as a team there. It was something to be very proud of. The team consisted of three athletes. One of my teammates was from Siirt, and the other was a teammate I have trained with and grown up alongside since childhood. Together, we achieved a ranking at the European Championship and finished third. It was a great source of pride for us, and we were very excited. Hopefully, at the next European Championship, we plan to become champions and have our National Anthem played.”

National Bocce Team Coach and Physical Education Teacher at Alaçam Şadiye Muzaffer Turhan Anatolian High School, Gökhan Bozdemir, stated that they achieved success together with his athletes at the Türkiye Championship held in April.

Emphasizing that they implemented an intensive training program for the European U23 Petanque Championship, Bozdemir said:

“Of course, we would have liked to bring home the European championship, but representing our country in upcoming tournaments, the Mediterranean Games, and world and European championships, and achieving first place, will be our greatest desire and goal. We are proud of them.”

“They are our future; we want them to reach the best possible places”

Stating that all the students who achieved success in bocce grew up in villages of Alaçam, Bozdemir continued as follows:

“They make great sacrifices to train here. Some stay in dormitories, some struggle to commute to and from their homes, and some even walk, but their sole desire is to represent our country as successful athletes. We currently have seven national athletes at our school. All of our graduates have gone on to university, and that is our greatest source of pride. All of our university students continue their sports careers as well. Some study medicine, some theology, some chemistry, some banking, and some physical education teaching. They are our future, and we want them to reach the very best places. That is our greatest wish.”

Highlighting that they have 136 licensed athletes, Bozdemir added:

“Thirty of them are national athletes. We won a European championship in 2022, achieved European runner-up status in 2024, and in 2025, God granted us world and European third places. From now on, they will continue to represent our country in the best possible way. These children are bright young people, and we have full confidence that they will represent this country with great distinction.”