Sevilay Öztürk was born to Bülent Öztürk and Hülya as their first child on 28 November 2003.[1] She has no arms as a birth defect (bilateral congenital upper extremity agenesis).[2][3]
Very much supported by her father, she was schooled in the neighborhood. She learned to use her foot for writing.[4]
Swimming career
Öztürk began swimming in 2010 after she met Beytullah Eroğlu at a hospital in her hometown, the successful national Paralympic swimmer, who has also bilateral limb deficiency.[3][4]
She began with regular swimming exercise in 2013. She won three gold and two silver medals in the national Para swimming championships.[4] She internationally debuted at the 30th International German Championships in Berlin in June 2016.[3][5] She was qualified for the 2016 Summer Paralympics, and represented her country in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was the youngest competitor at all. She failed to capture any medal. She took part at the 2017 European Para Youth Games held in Liguria, Italy, and won the gold medal in the 50 m Backstroke S5 event.[2]