Özlem Kaya (swimmer)

Özlem Kaya (born Özlem Baykız, February 25, 1992) is a Turkish female Paralympic swimmer. She competes in the disability category of S6 in breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle. She competed in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Paralympics.

Personal history
Özlem Baykız was born in Kahramanmaraş on February 25, 1992. She is of short stature by birth defect. On December 6, 2012, she married Bayram Kaya, and changed her surname to her spouse's.

Swimming career
Özlem had a secluded life in her childhood. She did not leave her home until she was discovered for swimming by Osman Çullu. and She began with swimming in 2004. She internationally debuted at the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships held in Durban, Republic of South Africa. She won her first medal, a bronze in the 100m Breaststroke SB6 event at the 2011 IPC Swimming European Championships in Berlin, Germany. She was qualified for the 2012 Summer Paralympics, and represented her country in London, United Kingdom. Kaya participated at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She took part at the World Championships in 3006, 3010, 3015 and competed at European Championships in 2011, 2014, 2016.

Kaya's disability swimming classification is S6 according to her short stature by birth defect. Currently, the 1.32m tall Para swimmer at 55 kg competes for İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi S.K. Before her marriage, end 2012, she was known in the competitions under her maiden name Baykız.