Umut Ünlü’s life has been shaped by his determination to continue his education and pursue sports despite his congenital physical disabilities. The absence of his hands and feet, along with his fused vocal cords, brought various challenges in the early stages of his life. However, the process that began with his family's support and relocation to Istanbul at an early age laid the groundwork for his continued education and the establishment of future goals. Ünlü completed his primary and secondary education in Esenyurt, Istanbul. He earned a university degree in Business Administration and later continued his studies with a focus on specialization in physical education.

Early Life and Education

Umut Ünlü was born on July 28, 2001, in the Gevaş district of Van. Born without hands and feet, Ünlü also has fused vocal cords. Due to health-related issues, his family moved to Istanbul when he was two years old. He completed his primary and secondary education in Esenyurt. He graduated from the Department of Business Administration at Kültür University and is currently continuing his education in the Department of Physical Education at Rumeli University.

Sports Career

He began swimming in 2020 and achieved rankings in various national tournaments. Competing in the S3 classification, he represented Türkiye at the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games held in Paris.

In this event, he won gold medals in the 50-meter freestyle S3 and 200-meter freestyle categories, becoming the first Turkish athlete to win two gold medals in the same Paralympic Games.

Achievements

Awards and Honors

In 2024, he was honored with the “Best Male Athlete of the Year” award by the European Paralympic Committee.

Club Career

In 2024, Ünlü joined Galatasaray Sports Club and continues his athletic career there.