From trauma to double gold: How Deniz Kayadelen is pushing boundaries in ice swimming
While winter sports stars and Olympic headlines are currently the talk of the town in many places, one athlete has quietly and impressively fought her way to the top: Deniz Kayadelen. In northern Italy, more precisely at the European Ice Swimming Championships in Molveno, she won four medals – two gold and two silver. And that was only five months after the birth of her daughter.
Deniz Kayadelen – A success that is more than just medals
Deniz Kayadelen won the gold medal in her age group in the 100-metre butterfly and 250-metre freestyle – no one was faster. She came in a close second in the 100-metre freestyle and 50-metre butterfly, securing two additional silver medals. The fact that she was able to achieve these results so soon after giving birth means a lot to her.
She speaks openly about how challenging everyday life is as a new mother: interrupted sleep, breastfeeding every two to three hours – and still having to perform at her best when it counts. Instead of seeing this as a disadvantage, she drew strength from it. Her goal: to show what women are capable of despite pregnancy and childbirth.
The idea of being a role model has been with her for a long time. The German-Turkish dual citizen grew up in Frankfurt am Main and has been living in Switzerland for several years. She deliberately competes under the Turkish flag – partly because this has enabled her to reach many women. After her first successes, she was featured in the Turkish media, which gave her message additional reach: borders are often more flexible than one thinks.
When fear began what later became a dream
What today sounds like mental strength and cold-weather routine had a very human origin for Kayadelen. As a young woman, she was a competitive swimmer and dreamed of crossing the English Channel. But a life-changing experience changed everything: after suffering from hypothermia, she had to be treated in hospital – and cold water became her greatest fear. The dream seemed to be over.
It was only later, after completing her studies and during her time as a management consultant, that the turning point came: she joined a team that wanted to swim the English Channel as a relay. With training, she slowly returned – first at 18 degrees, then at 16 degrees. What used to mean ‘cold’ gradually became the space in which she faced her fear. She describes this process as learning: turning weakness back into strength.
‘Out of your comfort zone’ – experience instead of theory
As her reputation grew, she began receiving requests for lectures and coaching sessions. Kayadelen started her own consulting business about a year and a half ago, called ‘out of comfort zone’. Her approach is not to motivate people with textbook chapters, but with real-life experience. She tests methods on herself, proves them in extreme situations and then explains what really helps when the going gets tough.
She places particular emphasis on the mental side: in ice swimming, the mind plays a major role in determining success and perseverance. That’s why breathing exercises, meditation and visualisation are part of her daily routine. And that, she says, is not only useful in sport – but in any challenging situation in life where you need to keep calm.
In 2019, she and three colleagues completed the approximately 32-kilometre-long route across the English Channel. In 2023, she repeated the feat – this time alone. For those who can endure such distances, the 16-degree North Sea eventually feels almost ‘warm’. Ice swimming itself even takes place in pools with water temperatures below five degrees.
It is interesting to note how responsibly Kayadelen describes her return to competition. She says she has become more sensitive since giving birth. To be on the safe side, she tested her body regularly in Lake Constance – every two to three days. Her benchmark was clear: when she got out of the water, she had to be able to control her hands and feet reliably in order to be there for her baby. For the same reason, she decided not to compete in the 500-metre event.
Why she still loves something that can be so painful
For her, cold water swimming is not just a sport, but also has health and psychological benefits. Apart from short-term numbness in her arms and legs, she raves about the effects: she is rarely ill. In addition, it has been proven that cold stimuli significantly increase the body’s own messenger substances such as noradrenaline, adrenaline, dopamine and endorphins – and that feels ‘better than any drug’ to her.
An inspiring story about cold – and warmth
The story of Deniz Kayadelen is not just one of a double sporting victory. It is a story about how fear can become a dream again, how mental work leads to real strength – and how someone can achieve extraordinary things even in the challenging phase shortly after giving birth, without losing sight of their responsibilities.
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