As part of the UFI European Conference, hosted by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and İZFAŞ, Bengisu Avcı, one of Türkiye’s most accomplished open-water swimmers, met with participants at Fuar İzmir. Sharing the challenges she faced throughout her Ocean’s 7 journey and the lessons she learned on the road to success, Avcı emphasized the importance of determination, discipline, and perseverance. She is the first and only Turkish athlete to complete the Ocean’s 7 challenge.

Drawing parallels between open-water swimming and life itself, Avcı explained that achieving ambitious goals often requires navigating uncertainty.

“At the beginning, you may not be able to see your goal. There is a vast ocean ahead of you, but you know it is there, and you keep swimming. I did this for years,” she said, stressing that the path to success is rarely straightforward or free of obstacles.

“People Only See the Result”

During her speech, Avcı highlighted the immense amount of unseen effort behind every achievement. She explained that she began swimming at the age of six and spent years training for thousands of hours. In addition to physical preparation, she carefully analyzed swimming routes, weather conditions, and sea environments before every challenge.

“People often only see the result. What they don’t see are the years of preparation, research, and sacrifices behind it. Reaching a goal requires thousands of hours of work,”she said.

“No Matter the Obstacle, You Must Keep Moving Forward”

Avcı emphasized that success depends not only on physical strength but also on mental resilience. Reflecting on the difficulties she encountered during her Ocean’s 7 journey, she described her first attempt to cross the English Channel as one of the most significant turning points in her career.

Despite failing on her first attempt and experiencing great disappointment, she refused to give up. She tried again and later became the fastest Turkish woman to swim across the English Channel.

Pointing out that, just as in life, not everything can be controlled in open-water swimming, Avcı said:

“Sometimes, no matter how hard you work, it may not be enough. What matters is being able to keep moving forward regardless of the obstacles you face.”

She also stressed that success is not only about reaching the destination but also about embracing the journey itself.

“When you dream, don’t think only about the point you want to reach. Think about how you will feel when you get there. If you don’t enjoy the journey, achieving success loses its meaning. I chose to experience every moment of the journey and be happy. This journey taught me one thing: nothing can defeat a person who refuses to give up.”

Session Draws Strong Interest

The session attracted significant attention from the international participants of the UFI European Conference and stood out as one of the event’s most inspiring presentations on determination, leadership, resilience, and achieving long-term goals. Following her presentation, Avcı answered questions from attendees.

First and Only Turkish Athlete to Complete Ocean’s 7

In 2025, Bengisu Avcı successfully crossed the Tsugaru Strait, completing the prestigious Ocean’s 7 challenge and becoming the first and only Turkish athlete to achieve this feat. In addition, she made history as the 40th swimmer in the world and the 13th woman ever to complete the challenge.