Watch: The Turkish paralympic swimmer propelling herself towards the 2024 Games

euronews (in English)

Since a young age, Sevilay Öztürk has found solace in swimming. Now 21, Sevilay spares no effort as she strives towards becoming a World Champion.

Transcript

00:00When I first entered the pool, I was very afraid of drowning.

00:04I'm glad I started, I'm glad I didn't quit.

00:08I'm glad I came to this sport.

00:12And I have a separate world under the water.

00:15I always look under the water like this.

00:19It relaxes me so much.

00:22There are small fish under the water.

00:25I always felt like a fish when I got into the water.

00:29Now the fish are not afraid of me.

00:32My name is Sevilla Yusuf, I am 21 years old.

00:34I am a national athlete.

00:46I don't have two arms.

00:48I use my feet for everything.

00:50This is how I live my life.

00:52I'm always like this.

00:54I was the 7th athlete to participate in the 2016 Paralympic Games.

00:58I was 13 years old there.

01:01I was the 3rd in the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020.

01:08I was so happy to learn that I am getting good grades in the World Series.

01:15Because it was my dream to go to Paris.

01:17In order to qualify for the Paralympic Games in Paris,

01:20our athletes have to win a certain number of medals

01:23by participating in international competitions during the season.

01:28I won the medals I needed to participate in the Paralympic Games.

01:33Sevilla participated in the World Championships in Porteix in 2022.

01:38I won two silver medals there.

01:40I won a medal in 50 back and 50 butterfly branches.

01:46Sevilla is a ambitious girl.

01:48She has to get out of bed at 5 a.m.

01:50While people are sleeping at that time,

01:52Sevilla gets out of bed, gets ready and comes to the pool.

02:01If you want that thing so much, you have to take a step.

02:08If you don't take a step, no one can get anything in this world.

02:12I come to the training six days a week.

02:16We have developed a technique to increase performance.

02:20We detect where the power is lacking.

02:23We develop that area with dark exercises and dry laps.

02:27And we do activities in the pool to make the athlete completely strong.

02:32Accordingly, we develop the lack direction.

02:43SEVILLA SPORTS CENTER

02:47There may be a big difference between a disabled person and a disabled athlete.

02:53But an athlete like Sevilla needs to work harder to close that gap.

03:00I think all muscle groups need to work twice as hard.

03:07We use various materials to make the movements with the arms.

03:11We cover it and plan it that way.

03:14We use resistance bands, step boards, plates, etc.

03:19We use fitness equipment.

03:27I have a lack at a certain point.

03:30But I learned that the obstacle is never an obstacle when I am a life reactor.

03:38SEVILLA SPORTS CENTER

03:40But I never said to myself,

03:43you don't lack anything.

03:46In fact, you have more.

03:48Because what you show is your efforts, your own strength,

03:51your self-confidence and holding on to life.

03:57SEVILLA SPORTS CENTER

04:00I was a shy kid.

04:02I would always run away from people, hide.

04:05I would go into a place when I saw a person.

04:09For 6-7 years, I lived my childhood with my parents.

04:15But after I started swimming, this is how my life turned out.

04:19I also started to say that I am like other people.

04:25He is a human being, I am a human being.

04:31But now I am 21 years old.

04:33I have been living alone in Gaziantep for 4 years.

04:39And now I need very little things.

04:42I can do everything I want by myself.

04:45For example, I couldn't go to the market and shop.

04:47I can do it myself.

04:49I can go shopping and do it myself again.

04:52I even started to cook my own food.

04:55I also got medals and this became my profession.

05:00I said, I did it. Yes, I did it.

05:10My goal in the future is to change the color of my medal in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.

05:17I want silver and gold in its color.

05:20There is no event as proud as seeing a sprinter succeed.

05:27Cevrilay is a role model.

05:29He is a well-known athlete.

05:32He couldn't make it to the top.

05:35If Cevrilay works harder, there are many years ahead of him.

05:40He will be even more successful.

05:42A person needs to have self-confidence and belief.

05:45I am very confident in myself and I believe that I will always do it.

05:49I will overcome everything.

05:51Because in this life, you only move forward.

05:53You only walk.

05:54You only need to succeed, always.

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