Ukrainian Alexia Yilmaz becomes Turkish citizen, sets sights on national swim team

By Gokhan Balci

EDIRNE, Türkiye (AA) - Swimmer Alexia Yilmaz, who arrived in the northwestern Turkish city of Edirne with her father from Ukraine after Russia’s “special military operation” in her country, has become a Turkish citizen.

Yilmaz, the daughter of Turkish national Atil Yilmaz, who worked in Donetsk, and former swimmer Yulya Yanchevskaya, started swimming at the age of 6 under the guidance of her mother.

Her father began procedures for Alexia, who continued to train with coach Ugur Sivrikaya at the DSI Sports Club after a short break because of the war, to join the Turkish national swim team as a Turkish citizen.

Alexia, 17, became a Turkish citizen on April 25, after nearly 2 years of efforts due to a delay in documents from Ukraine.

"We got our citizenship when the missing document was given by the Ukrainian authorities. After getting Turkish citizenship, my daughter is one step closer to the national team," said her father. "This was our purpose in coming to Türkiye in the first place. Now I hope that she and her coach will train better and reach the result. This is a sport that requires labor and dedication."

- 'I aim for the Turkish championship and then the 2028 Olympics'

Alexia, who has been living in Türkiye with her father for two years said, "I feel happier and more confident. I have a lot of opportunities in front of me now that I am a Turkish citizen. I aim for the Turkish championship and then the 2028 Olympics."

Her coach has high expectations for the swimmer.

"Now that she is a Turkish citizen, there is no obstacle to our goal of making the national team. Alexia's first event is breaststroke and the second is butterfly. She is especially successful in 50 and 100 meter breaststroke. She was once ranked second in Türkiye in the youth. Our goal is to be champion,” said Sivrikaya. "Next year Alexia will compete in the open age group. Since everyone will be her rival in the open age group, we are trying to improve her quality and trying to reduce her times so that she can be successful in the open age group as well. We train eight times a week."

*Writing by Selcuk Bugra Gokalp