Yeliz Özel

Yeliz Özel (born 6 March 1980, in Ankara)[1] is a Turkish retired handballer, who last played for İzmir Büyükşehir Belediyesi GSK and the Turkish national team. She is widely considered best handball player ever from Turkey.

Yeliz Özel
Personal information
Born (1980-03-06) 6 March 1980
Ankara, Turkey
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Centre Back
Number 7
Senior clubs
Years Team
1998–1999
 PTT Türk Telekom SK
1999–2000
 Byåsen HE
2000–2001
 PTT Türk Telekom
2001–2002
 Anadolu Uni, Eskisehir
2002–2004
 Üsküdar Bld. SK
2004–2007
 Kometal Skopje
2007–2010
 Maliye Milli Piyango SK
2010–2012
 CS Oltchim
2012–2013
 Üsküdar Bld. SK
2013–2017
 Yenimahalle Bld. SK
2017–2019
 Muratpaşa
2019–2020
 Kastamonu
2020–2021
 Yalikavaksports Club
2021–
 İzmir Büyükşehir Belediyesi GSK
National team 1
Years Team
1995–2022
 Turkey
Medal record
Women's Handball
Representing  Turkey
Islamic Solidarity Games
Silver medal – second place2017 BakuTeam
Mediterranean Games
Silver medal – second place2009 Pescara Team
1 National team caps and goals correct
as of 7 February 2023

Club career

She started her career in Ankara team PTT, played first European Cup level matches same year. With outstanding skills in game-reading, Yeliz labelled as a 'prominent young talent' by several handball experts. She transferred to Norway League for Byåsen HE in Trondheim, played there one full season. Then she back to Turkey to play in Eskisehir Anadolu University and Üsküdar Bld. SK.

In 2004, Yeliz went to Skopje to playing for Kometal Gjorče Petrov Skopje. After a brilliant stint there, she was one of the best players of EHF Champions League 2004–05 season. She scored 61 goals and made a huge contribution to promote her team final.[2]

In June 2010, Yeliz Özel signed for Romania's top club CS Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea. She played two seasons in Romania before returning to her home country.[3]

Özel returned home in June 2012 to rejoin her former team Üsküdar Bld. SK.[4] After one season, she transferred to the Ankara-based team Yenimahalle Bld. SK.[5]

International career
Yeliz Özel (white/red) attacking Austria at the 2015 World Women's Handball Championship European qualification match.

Özel was a member of the Turkey women's national handball team and served as their captain.[6] She was part of the team that won the silver medal at the 2009 Mediterranean Games held in Pescara, Italy.[7] In 2017, she won the silver medal with the national team at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, Azerbaycan.[8][9]

In April 2022, Yeliz Özel retired from the national team after 27 years.[10]

Honours
Turkish Women's Handball Super League
  • Winners (5): 2003–04, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2014–15
  • Runners-up (2): 2012–13, 2013–14
Women's EHF Champions League
  • Runner-up (1): 2004–05
Mediterranean Games
  • Runner-up (1): 2009
Islamic Solidarity Games
Silver medal (1): 2017

References
  1. "Yeliz Özel". European Handball Federation.
  2. "EHF Women's Champions League 2004/05 – Top 50 scorers". European Handball Federation. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
  3. "Yeliz'e Avrupa'dan özel ilgi". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 2010-07-07. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  4. "Üsküdar Belediyesi'nin en özel transferi". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 2012-06-01. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  5. "Yeliz Özel, Yenimahalle Belediyesi'nde". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 2013-07-30. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  6. "A Milli Takım Kaptanı Yeliz Özel'den Rize'ye Büyük Övgü!". Rizenin Sesi (in Turkish). 2013-02-24. Archived from the original on 2016-02-16. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  7. "Hentbolda gümüş kazandık". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 2009-07-05. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  8. "Milli Hentbolcular İstanbul'da Toplanacak". Beyaz Gazete (in Turkish). 22 April 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  9. "Hentbolda 2 gümüş madalya". TRT Spor (in Turkish). 14 May 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  10. "Hentbol tutkunu iki efsanenin milli formaya vedası" (in Turkish). THF Türkiye Hentbol Federasyonu. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
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