Source: fide.com/news/734
Emphasis by chesswob.org

Handenur Şahin is a well-known personality in Turkish chess circles. She is one of the best female players in the country, as well as one of the best women in the world among players with disabilities.

She was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a kind of muscular disease that severely affects mobility from an early age. As a consequence, she started using a wheelchair when she was just four years old.

Despite the extra difficulties derived from her physical disability, Handenur’s achievements are not limited to the chessboard. Recently, news broke on social media that Handenur had graduated with a first degree in the Political Science Department, and a second degree in the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, from Galatasaray University. This is one of the most reputable colleges in Turkey, but it is only natural that Handenur ended up there: she had previously graduated with a first-place from primary school, and then again she was the first on her promotion at high school.

“I have a competitive side that comes from chess, actually”, explains Handenur, who is vivacious and outspoken. She was taught to play when she was 10, following a suggestion from one of her school teachers, and she started taking part in school competitions barely two weeks later. She is convinced that chess played a fundamental role in her development...

• Read the full story on fide.com/news/734.