Sevda Altunoluk

Sevda Altunoluk (born 1 April 1994) is a Turkish Paralympian goalball player competing for Yenimahalle Belediyespor in Ankara. She is a member of the national team, and was named several times as Top goalscorer. In 2021, she was named as one of the BBC's 100 Women.

Private life

Sevda Altunoluk was born on 1 April 1994). She is a native of Tokat in Turkey. Her sister Sevtap Altunoluk is also a national goalball player.

Sporting career

Club

Altunoluk began playing goalball at 12 years of age.

She played for the visually impaired sports club Mithat Enç Gören Kalpler SK in Ankara before she transferred to Yenimahalle Belediyesi SK in the same city. Her current team is coached by Ekrem Gündoğdu, a member of the men's goalball team at the same club. Several times, she was recognized as top scorer at the national level.

International

Altunoluk competes internationally on the Turkey women's national goalball team. She has taken part in various competitions. In 2010, she won the silver medal at the IBSA Goalball European Women's Group B Championship held in Eskişehir, Turkey. At the 2012 IBSA European Goalball Championships Div. B in Ascoli Piceno, Italy, she captured the gold medal and topped the scorer list with 27 goals, followed by Swetlana Otto from Germany with 21. She won the gold medal at the 2013 Pajulahti Games in Nastola, Finland, where she was the top scorer. Altınoluk was also the top scorer of the 2013 Malmö Lady Inter Cup in Malmö with 18 goals, even though her team placed fourth. At the same tournament next year, the team took bronze and she placed second on the top scorer list with 17 goals, behind Laura Belle of Spain. In 2015, she took the gold medal at the 2015 IBSA European Goalball Championships Div. A, in Kaunas, Lithuania. There, she was the top scorer, followed by her teammate Sümeyye Özcan.

Altunoluk was a member of the national team that won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Honours

Individual

Top scorer – 2012 IBSA Goalball European Championships Div. B in Ascoli Piceno, Italy (27 goals).
Top scorer – 2013 Malmö Lady Inter Cup in Malmö, Sweden.
Top scorer – 2013 Pajulahti Games in Nastola, Finland.
Top scorer - 2014 Goalball World Championship in Espoo, Finland (31 goals)
Top scorer – 2015 IBSA Goalball European Championships Div. A in Kaunas, Lithuania.
Top scorer – 2016 Summer Paralympics, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (36 goals)
Top scorer – 2017 IBSA Goalball European Championships in Lahti, Finland (37 goals)
Top scorer – 2018 IBSA Goalball World Championships in Malmö, Sweden (46 goals)
IPC Allianz Athlete of the Month - 2018 June,
Best scorer - 2018-19 Super European Women's Goalball League (25 goals)
Top scorer – 2019 IBSA Goalball Wotld Championships in Rostock, Germany (39 goals)
Top scorer – 2020 Summer Paralympics, Tokyo, Japan (46 goals)
In 2021 she was named as one of the BBC's 100 Women