07.07.2025 16:51
The Paralympic athlete Esra Nisa Özkılsız, who was discovered in Gaziantep and later took up swimming and then weightlifting, has won a total of 92 medals in her 12-year sports career, including Turkish championships.
22-year-old Paralympic athlete Esra Nisa Özkılsız, who lives in the Kayaönü neighborhood of Şehitkamil district in Gaziantep, started swimming at the age of 10 upon the recommendation of a female athlete with a disabled child. Esra Nisa Özkılsız, who continued to swim with passion until the age of 20 and achieved significant success in competitions, has accumulated 90 medals in 10 years. Two years ago, she shifted to weightlifting upon the advice of her swimming coach.
Having been introduced to weightlifting two years ago due to her body structure being more suitable for it, Esra Nisa Özkılsız quickly achieved significant success, managing to become the Turkish champion and runner-up within two years.
So far, Esra Nisa Özkılsız has won a total of 92 medals in almost all competitions she has participated in, with 90 in swimming and 2 in weightlifting, and she continues her training uninterrupted at the Turkish Olympic Preparation Center (TOHM) for new successes.
Özkılsız became the Turkish champion in the seniors category at the Physically Disabled Bench Press Para Powerlifting Turkish Championship held in Ankara last year, and last week, she achieved the Turkish runner-up title by lifting 77 kilograms in the 41-kilogram category at the Physically Disabled Youth and Seniors Turkish Championship held in Kırıkkale.
Known as the 'medal hunter' by her friends due to the medals she has won, Esra Nisa Özkılsız aims to be an example not only for disabled individuals but also for girls, and she aspires to crown her achievements with an Olympic medal.
Esra Nisa Özkılsız, who wants to collect points from European and world championships to go to the Olympics, stated that her biggest goal is to become an Olympic champion.
“I WEIGH 35 KILOS AND HAVE ALMOST AS MANY MEDALS AS MY WEIGHT”
Esra Nisa Özkılsız, who has achieved significant success in her 12-year sports career, expressed her happiness in winning more awards than her age with the 92 medals she has earned in swimming and weightlifting.
Stating that she has countless records and medals, Esra Nisa Özkılsız said, "I have been involved in sports for 12 years. Throughout my sports life, I have won medals multiple times in swimming and weightlifting. I weigh 35 kilos and have almost as many medals as my weight. I have so many medals that I am struggling to carry them now."
“I WON 90 MEDALS IN SWIMMING”
Özkılsız, who started her sports life in swimming at the age of 10, stated, "I won 90 medals in swimming. I won 2 medals in weightlifting. I achieved first and second place in Turkey. I just came from Kırıkkale last week. I became the second in Turkey. I was first in Ankara the year before with 77 kilos."
Describing her journey in swimming and weightlifting adorned with medals, Özkılsız mentioned that she started preparing for competitions with the support of her family and coach, saying, "I started swimming thanks to a sister who has a disabled son. She advised me to swim for the development of my bones and to grow taller. My swimming coach also directed me to weightlifting. I am very happy that I started weightlifting because I am achieving really good results. My current highest record is 85 kilos, and I have the opportunity to go to Europe with this. We had European records with 80 kilos. Right now, I have a competition coming up in Cairo, Egypt. I am preparing for the world championship. I want to return to Turkey with a medal from Cairo. I want to wave our star and crescent flag in Egypt. I also want to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and wave our flag at the highest level," she said.
Özkılsız stated that sports have brought about beautiful changes in her life and that people's perceptions of her have changed significantly, encouraging her disabled friends to trust themselves and engage in a sport.
Weightlifting Coach Ali İhsan Güneş emphasized that his athlete Esra Nisa is very successful, determined, and hardworking, expressing that he is always proud of Esra Nisa and will always be her supporter.