Man From Egypt Achieved New Guinness World Record For Longest Underwater Swim In One Breath

Created On: 11 April 2022 8:15 PM IST

A 31-year-old Egyptian national, has endured more than most, which makes his Guinness World Records victories

A 31-year-old Egyptian national, has endured more than most, which makes his Guinness World Records victories
He swam 56.48 metres in his first one-breath swim to set a new world record.

Omar Hegazy, a 31-year-old Egyptian national, has endured more than most, which makes his Guinness World Records victories in the longest distance swam underwater with one breath and the longest distance swam underwater with one breath with fins all the sweeter.

He swam 56.48 metres in his first one-breath swim to set a new world record. He then attained a distance of 76.7 metres by using a fin.To achieve these extraordinary feats, Omar has overcome great odds.

When Omar was 25 years old, his life was irrevocably transformed. He was starting a new life as a banker in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, making the bold decision to live beside the sea.

The catastrophic event occurred shortly after, in 2015. Omar was riding his motorcycle on a normal summer day when he hit a road hole, which sucked him under a moving truck in a matter of seconds. Pedestrians rushed to his rescue and rushed him to the nearest hospital. He was losing consciousness, yet the pain kept jolting him back to consciousness.

When his parents arrived on the scene, they agreed on an emergency transport to a Cairo hospital. He also recalled that hewas denied sufficient meals for days until his position was understood, as he could have required surgery at any time.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Guinness World Records Arabia (@gwrarabia)

Because of his matter-of-fact reactions, surgeons were concerned that Omar didn't understand the gravity of the situation.

Omar was taken for an evaluation before the surgery to ensure that he understood the implications of his decision. He stayed in the hospital for a few more weeks after the surgery for physical and mental health checkups.

His daily life became difficult as he became unable to do simple chores such as stepping downstairs without a handrail or going to the restroom on his own.

Omar learnt how to use a crutch and a wheelchair after three months in a rehabilitation facility. He then travelled to Germany in the hopes of receiving the greatest medical aid possible in order to design a prosthetic leg.

During this time, Omar broke up with his fiancée and fell into a deep despair.

A spark of inspiration came into his life after months of struggle, he came upon an article in June 2021 about Dareen Barbar, a Lebanon-based athlete with an amputated limb who set a Guinness World Record for the longest Samson's chair/static wall sit. So he continued reading and came across another article about Faisal Al Mosawi, a wheelchair-bound diver who set a world record for the fastest 10-kilometer SCUBA dive.

He is presently a motivational speaker who has given several presentations on TV and in front of a live audience to assist others overcome their mental challenges. Furthermore, Omar now wants to encourage other disabled persons to pursue their aspirations and to 'think positive' in the face of adversity.