Begüm Pusat (born 2004) is a Turkish

wheelchair basketball Wheelchair basketball is a style of basketball played using a sports wheelchair. The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) is the governing body for this sport. It is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) as ...

player who plays for Beşiktaş JK and is a member of the Turkey women's national wheelchair basketball team.

Club career

Pusat started playing wheelchair basketball at the age of ten after she was inspired by a poster of the female national basketball player

Işıl Alben Işıl Alben (born 22 February 1986) is a Turkish professional basketball player for Galatasaray S.K. (women's basketball), Galatasaray, who is often considered to be among the top Turkish female athletes. She was the captain of the first Turkis ...

, and watching a match of the Beşiktaş JK wheelchair basketball team. She was encouraged by Cem Gezinci, a Wheelchair basketball player of Beşiktaş JK, she met during a match. She started playing for Aydın ADÜ Genç Eefeler team. In the 2018–19 season, she transferred to the Girls U16 team of the İzmir BB SK. In August 2022, her contract was extended. As of 2024, she plays as a forward for Beşiktaş JK wheelchair basketball as the only female member. Pusat plays in the forward position with disability class 2.5.

International career

At the age of 15 only, Pusat debuted internationally playing for the Turkey women's national under-25 wheelchair basketball team at the 2019 Women's U25 Wheelchair Basketball World Championship in

Suphanburi Suphan Buri () is a town ('' thesaban mueang'') in central Thailand. It covers ''tambon'' Tha Philiang and parts of ''tambons'' Rua Yai and Tha Rahat, all within the Mueang Suphan Buri District. As of 2006 it had a population of 26,656. The tow ...

, Thailand. She was one of the youngest players of the championship. In 2020, Pusat was selected again to the Turkey women's U25 team. In June 2023, she took part at the preparation camp of the Turkey women's national wheelchair basketball team in

Aksaray Aksaray () is a city in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. It is the seat of Aksaray Province and Aksaray District.

, Turkey, and the next month, preparationon camps in Hakkari, Turkey and

Tabriz Tabriz (; ) is a city in the Central District (Tabriz County), Central District of Tabriz County, in the East Azerbaijan province, East Azerbaijan province of northwestern Iran. It serves as capital of the province, the county, and the distric ...

, Iran. She played at the 2023 IWBF Women's European Championship in

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...

, Netherlands.

Personal life

Begüm Pusat was born in 2004. She was confined to a wheelchair because she had the

congenital disorder A birth defect is an abnormal condition that is present at childbirth, birth, regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disability, disabilities that may be physical disability, physical, intellectual disability, intellectual, or dev ...

cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, spasticity, stiff muscles, Paresis, weak muscles, and tremors. There may b ...

, and disorder of movement and posture due to brain damage. Following a long period of physical therapy, she was able to use her paralyzed left hand and left foot.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pusat, Begum 2004 births Living people Turkish women's wheelchair basketball players 21st-century Turkish sportswomen İzmir Büyükşehir Belediyesi GSK sportspeople Beşiktaş women's basketball players