When Turkish swimmer Defne Kurt dove into the pool at the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, she wasn’t just racing for medals – she was reclaiming her life.
The 23-year-old, once unsure if she’d ever swim again after a devastating car accident, stunned the world by winning five gold medals and setting a European record in the S10 classification.
Her story is one of pain transformed into power and of a woman who found healing, purpose and pride in the water that nearly slipped from her grasp.
Kurt’s journey began long before the medals – at age one, when her father playfully tossed her into a pool, sparking a lifelong bond with water.
By 13, she was swimming at the national level, dreaming of Olympic glory.
But university life brought fatigue, burnout and distance from the sport she once loved.
Then came the accident – a crash that left her body broken, her spirit fractured and her future uncertain.
“I went through long surgeries and months of pain,” she recalls. “My body was full of metal and my mind full of questions. I didn’t know how to live with this new version of myself – let alone swim again.”
For months, she battled depression, wrestling with the question, “Why me?” Her recovery wasn’t just physical – it was emotional. “When the idea of Paralympic sport came up, it felt impossible,” Kurt said. “But it gave me hope – a reason to get up again.”
Relearning how to swim was excruciating.
Each stroke carried pain, both mental and physical. “Getting back into the water was terrifying,” she admits. “The first time, I cried. I wasn’t sure if my body could do what my heart wanted.”
Kurt started slowly – one training session per week. Friends doubted her. “People asked how I could become a world champion training so little,” she said with a smile. “But my coach and I built the program around what my body could handle. It was about consistency, not volume.”
That approach paid off.
At the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, Kurt swept her events – the 50m and 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly and 200m individual medley – all gold, all record-breaking.
Standing atop the podium as the Turkish flag rose five times, she said, “I didn’t just win races. I won my life back.”
Kurt’s triumph transcended sport.
Her story has resonated with thousands across Türkiye, many of whom reached out to thank her for inspiring them to pursue their own dreams.
“I get messages from young swimmers saying, ‘I was about to quit, but your story made me start again,’” she said. “That means more to me than any medal. Being someone’s reason to keep going – you can’t describe that feeling.”
Now, Kurt uses her platform to advocate for greater inclusion of people with disabilities in sport and society.
“For disabled individuals, sport isn’t just activity – it’s survival,” she said. “It keeps the body and mind alive. It teaches you that you can.”
She urges others to step out of isolation. “Engelli bireyler – people with disabilities – mustn’t stay home. Find a sport, a passion. It becomes a reason to get up, to believe in yourself again.”
Kurt also calls for broader awareness. “We fight two battles – one with our bodies, one with how society sees us,” she said. “People often ask, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ instead of ‘How are you doing?’ I just wish for understanding, not pity.”
Defne Kurt now dreams of representing Türkiye at the 2028 Paralympic Games, inspiring a new generation of athletes who see no limits.
“I used to swim for myself,” she reflects. “Now I swim for everyone who’s ever been told they can’t. Because we can. We always can.”
