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Defne Kurt wins five European golds on road to Los Angeles 2028
Twenty-six-year-old Defne Kurt won gold in all five events she entered at the European Para Swimming Championships held in Kocaeli from September 7 to 12. The first Turkish athlete to win five gold medals at a European Championship, Kurt sees next year’s World Para Swimming Championships as preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.
Twenty-six-year-old Defne Kurt won five gold medals after competing in five different events at the European Para Swimming Championships in Kocaeli. The championship was held from September 7 to 12.
The result made Defne Kurt the first Turkish athlete to win five gold medals at a European Championship. The national swimmer will continue preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games after next year’s World Para Swimming Championships.
New goals on the road to Los Angeles 2028
Viewing every tournament as an important stage on the road to the Paralympic Games, Kurt said regular training was decisive. She noted that missing one day of training could lead to a two-day setback.
Kurt said she wanted to use next year’s world championships as preparation for the Paralympic Games. The national athlete said she aimed to win gold in every category in which she competes at the Games.
"I will work as hard as I can and show the best version of Defne in the pool. My goal is always to compete against myself and strive to become better than I was."
Coach emphasizes intensive preparation
Defne Kurt’s coach, Nuriye Renin Gemicioğlu Oyeniyi, said she was proud of the athlete’s success. Oyeniyi described Kurt’s return to a level close to her previous performance after her traffic accident as a significant achievement.
The coach said Kurt was an athlete with a strong desire to win and explained that she experienced pain, fatigue and numbness in her feet during training and competitions. Oyeniyi emphasized that the result, which might appear easy from the outside, came after an intensive period of preparation.
Oyeniyi said competing in five events consecutively meant swimming a total of 10 times, adding that Defne was given rest under the supervision of a physiotherapist. The coach said they would continue competing in line with their goals as long as her performance remained high, and noted that the athlete loved both her country and swimming.
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