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'''Leyla Hasso''' is a female Super Mario Kart ([[SMK]]) player from London, UK and is the niece of [[Sami Cetin]]. She has been active on and off in SMK and briefly played [[MKDS]] until receiving a Wii for her 9th Birthday in 2008. Leyla has been one of the youngest active karters on any of the kart sites and also achieved many Women's World Records on PAL Time Trial for [[SMK]]. Leyla is currently ranked the fastest female Super Mario Kart Player in the World for the PAL version. She is perhaps most famous for defeating top [[MKDD]] player [[Vincent van der Fluit]] in a SMK Grand Prix 150cc Mushroom Cup tournament for karters around their skill level in 2007. Videos of those races are available on youtube and have also been created into a DVD.

'''Leyla Hasso''' is a female Super Mario Kart ([[SMK]]) player from London, UK and is the niece of [[Sami Cetin]]. She has been active on and off in SMK and briefly played [[MKDS]] until receiving a Wii for her 9th Birthday in 2008. Leyla has been one of the youngest active karters on any of the kart sites and also achieved many Women's World Records on PAL Time Trial for [[SMK]]. Leyla is currently ranked the fastest female Super Mario Kart Player in the World for the PAL version. She is perhaps most famous for defeating top [[MKDD]] player [[Vincent van der Fluit]] in a SMK Grand Prix 150cc Mushroom Cup tournament for karters around their skill level in 2007. Videos of those races are available on youtube and have also been created into a DVD.

Leyla was born in 1999 and took an interest in games after a few years due to her Uncle [[Sami Cetin]] and his SMK activity. At first she played with the GBA on some basic games, then officially joined the [http://www.mariokart64.com/smk/ Super Mario Kart Time Trial World Records Site] in Summer of 2004 at age 5. Her initial competitor on Time Trials was Tanja Huber of Germany who turned 6 and presented a good challenge as they both started out on the site. Leyla overtook her on Time Trials and passed a few more karters till she stopped playing.

Leyla was born in 1999 and took an interest in games after a few years due to her Uncle [[Sami Cetin]] and his SMK activity. At first she played with the GBA on some basic games, then officially joined the [http://www.mariokart64.com/smk/ Super Mario Kart Time Trial World Records Site] in Summer of 2004 at age 5. Her initial competitor on Time Trials was Tanja Huber of Germany who turned 6 and presented a good challenge as they both started out on the site. Leyla overtook her on Time Trials and passed a few more karters till she stopped playing.

== Leyla Hasso vs Louise Bedford on SMK Match Race ==

== Leyla Hasso vs Louise Bedford on SMK Match Race ==

On the 29th April 2006 Leyla attended a UK Meet held by [[Sami Cetin]]. A mini beginners SMK Tournament was set up and Leyla entered using Toad. Her big moment came when she raced UK rival Louise Bedford. The [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUwH_NrUHOI Race on Mario Circuit 2] was intense. Leyla started off badly but made an amazing comeback towards the end, firing a red shell to destroy a green and with great cornering managed to defeat Louise on the final lap. Another break from SMK happened shortly following this meet.

On the 29th April 2006 Leyla attended a UK Meet held by [[Sami Cetin]]. A mini beginners SMK Tournament was set up and Leyla entered using Toad. Her big moment came when she raced UK rival Louise Bedford. The [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUwH_NrUHOI Race on Mario Circuit 2] was intense. Leyla started off poorly but made an amazing comeback towards the end, firing a red shell to destroy a green shell and coupled with great cornering managed to defeat Louise on the final lap. She then stopped playing SMK for the remainder of 2006.

 

== Comeback to SMK in 2007 with Bowser ==

== Comeback to SMK in 2007 with Bowser ==

During 2007 Leyla returned to SMK with Bowser on several tracks to make some faster times, she became the fastest female SMK player in London and 2nd fastest in the UK. She switched to Toad on a few tracks, then one day after several attempts she managed to drive a Women's British record on the fastlap of Choco Island 2 with Toad, beating the time of Sue Cladingboel by a few hundredths. One of her proudest achievements was reaching 1'03" on Mario Circuit 1 Time Trial, close to the record of her father Karim. Leyla also played a lot of the Grand Prix mode also and developed good skills there, enjoying 150cc Mushroom Cup.

During 2007 Leyla returned to SMK with Bowser on several tracks to make some faster times, she became the fastest female SMK player in London and 2nd fastest in the UK. She switched to Toad on a few tracks, then one day after several attempts she managed to drive a Women's British record on the fastlap of Choco Island 2 with Toad, beating the time of Sue Cladingboel by a few hundredths. One of her proudest achievements was reaching 1'03" on Mario Circuit 1 Time Trial, close to the record of her father Karim. Leyla also played a lot of the Grand Prix mode also and developed good skills there, mainly just 150cc Mushroom Cup.

== Retirement from SMK to play MKDS ==

== Retirement from SMK to play MKDS and MKWii ==

 

Following some more PRs, Leyla stopped SMK as she got a Nintendo DS and begun competing in races on Mario Kart DS (MKDS), however she still played a little SMK from time to time and has shown interest in a comeback some day but she did not at the time confirm a date when this would happen. She has been since playing other casual games on the Wii, DS and PC.

 

 

 

== The Wii and taking on a Young Apprentice ==

Leyla has also played on the Nintendo Wii and Mario Kart Wii recreationally along with some other games. For a short period in Summer 2008, Leyla trained her younger sister Maia on SMK who became the youngest player to finish a record on Mario Circuit 1 Time Trial in 1 minute 40 seconds, aged 2 years and 8 months! Maia has gone on to join the Super Mario Kart Time Trial World Rankings at 3 years and 11 months and has been known to defeat other young rivals on Mario Kart Wii along with developed skills on Mario platformers. In 2012 Maia Hasso returned to SMK and passed Leyla's old rival Tanja Huber on the PAL Time Trials.

Following some more PRs in 2007, Leyla stopped SMK as she got a Nintendo DS and begun competing in races on Mario Kart DS (MKDS), however she still played a little SMK from time to time and has shown interest in a comeback some day but she did not at the time confirm a date when this would happen. She has been since playing other casual games on the Wii, DS and PC.

== Leyla Hasso Interviewed by Nintendo ==

== Leyla Hasso Interviewed by Nintendo ==

In December 2008, Leyla had the opportunity to be interviewed by Nintendo for the Nintendo Wii Channel where she was featured at a similar time as the interview of her uncle [[Sami Cetin]] took place. The interview highlighted her success as a young gamer; reaching #1 on the Women's ranking in London and #2 in the UK on SMK and how participating in an international tournament went. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zht_kzf1IwU (Watch her Interview Video with Nintendo)]

In December 2008, Leyla had the opportunity to be interviewed by Nintendo for the Nintendo Wii Channel where she was featured at a similar time as the interview of her uncle [[Sami Cetin]] took place. The interview highlighted her success as a young gamer; reaching #1 on the Women's ranking in London and #2 in the UK on SMK and how participating in an international tournament went. The video was featured on the Nintendo Wii Channel in early 2009 and remained there for most of the year. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zht_kzf1IwU (Watch her Interview Video with Nintendo)]

Following this she continued to play between January to March working through all the weaker tracks and learning new strategies including platform jumps on Ghost Valley 1 and 3, and pushing some fast times on tougher tracks. She has hit many Women's World Records. On 11th March 2012 Leyla Hasso has passed Sue Cladingboel to become the UK's Fastest Female Super Mario Kart player and ranked 2nd in the World on PAL. One week later Leyla drove some more great times and passed Tanja Bronnecke (Germany) to become the fastest Female Super Mario Kart Player in the World for PAL version.

Following this she continued to play between January to March working through all the weaker tracks and learning new strategies including platform jumps on Ghost Valley 1 and 3, and pushing some fast times on tougher tracks. She has hit many Women's World Records. On 11th March 2012 Leyla Hasso has passed Sue Cladingboel to become the UK's Fastest Female Super Mario Kart player and ranked 2nd in the World on PAL. One week later Leyla drove some more great times and passed Tanja Bronnecke (Germany) to become the fastest Female Super Mario Kart Player in the World for PAL version.