National paralympic superstar Meryem Nur Tunuğ, who courageously defied the odds by continuing her swimming career despite a series of surgeries, takes inspiration from fellow athletes Sümeyye Boyacı and Sevilay Öztürk.
Tunuğ, plucked from the Atlas Disabled Youth and Sports Club at the tender age of 8, has been an unstoppable force in Turkish swimming championships, having won gold medals at tournaments hosted by the Turkish Physically Disabled Sports Federation in Mersin, Aksaray and Trabzon.
She became a paragon of determination and resilience, having triumphed over three surgeries. She made a powerful statement by achieving success at the Para Swimming World Championships held in Portugal last year.
Drawing inspiration from Sümeyye Boyacı, the reigning European and world para-swimming champion, and Sevilay Öztürk, Türkiye's inaugural Paralympic Games medallist, who pocketed a bronze medal in the women's 50m backstroke S5 division at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, Meryem is now preparing to make a splash at the 11th edition of the Para Swimming World Championships, which will be held in Manchester, England from July 31-Aug. 6.
During an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Tunuğ expressed her joy at being chosen to participate in the national team camp held in Ankara.
Tunuğ expressed her regret of not being able to join the national team for the camp, despite her selection, due to her surgeries.
She said: "Though the surgeries were a setback, I never lost hope. It is an honor for me to follow in the footsteps of my sisters, Sümeyye Boyacı and Sevilay Öztürk, whose accomplishments have been truly inspirational. I aim to win the upcoming Para Swimming World Championship in England and make my country proud, and secure a spot in the 2024 Paris Paralympics."
Meryem Nur proudly proclaimed that her family and friends had unwaveringly supported her.
"I want to be a champion in the world and Olympic games in the coming years, setting an example for my disabled peers. I want to be a source of hope for them, to encourage them to get out and show their strength – to prove that nothing can stop them from achieving their ambitions," she added.
Tunuğ's coach Zehra Eruçar also said that the athlete is a steadfastly determined and highly ambitious competitor.
She said: "I had the pleasure of meeting Meryem Nur while assisting with talent screening for Atlas Disabled Sports Club in Adana. Despite being so small and having undergone surgery on her arms, she was determined to start swimming – and so, after speaking with her family, she began her journey. Meryem Nur is an incredibly ambitious athlete and is preparing for a championship. I fervently hope she will succeed and secure a quota for the 2024 Paris Paralympics."