Zeynep Çelik, the visually impaired national judo athlete, aims to reach the pinnacle of success at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
Joining the judo in 2014, and becoming the Turkish champion, the 27-year-old secured a spot on the national team.
In 2015, she achieved a remarkable third place in the adult category at the European Judo Championships in Portugal.
Over the following years, Çelik participated in European and World championships, accumulating victories that marked a significant milestone in her career.
At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Çelik clinched the bronze medal in the 57-kilogram category.
She continued to build on her success by winning the gold medal at the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Blind Judo Championships held in Azerbaijan in November 2022.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Çelik highlighted her constant efforts to raise the bar.
"In 2017, I became the European champion; in 2018, the world champion; and in 2019, I conquered both the European and world titles. I reclaimed the championship once again at the recent tournament in Azerbaijan," she said.
Reflecting on the challenges she faced when starting her sporting journey, Çelik shared: "My family provided me with unwavering support, and after I pursued my education, many girls in our village in Ağrı began attending school too. Opportunities opened up for everyone. I lost my father when I was four years old, and my mother stood by us, fulfilling both the roles of mother and father. "
"That was the biggest challenge for me. Being visually impaired, reading was initially difficult. Not being able to see the board or write posed significant problems. I came to Erzurum to study and attended a school for the visually impaired, completing high school here. We faced many difficulties, but alhamdulillah (praise be to God)."
Despite the challenges, Çelik highlighted the support they received from the government.
"Our greatest supporter is the attention given to people with disabilities by our President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. We faced certain problems; when we went out, people asked if we could move independently. Thanks to the extensive support provided by our government, after starting school, we stood on our own feet," she said.
Çelik emphasized her pursuit of new victories, concluding. "Success results from perseverance; it cannot be achieved without hard work and dedication. After winning the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, I now have the European and world judo championships ahead of me, where I aim to win gold medals.
"My ultimate dream is to stand on the podium at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, listening to our national anthem while holding the championship title," she added.