Dubai: Three Emiratis from Abu Dhabi have broken four world records, and declared as officially amazing by the Guinness World Records.
In celebration of Guinness World Records (GWR), which falls on November 18, organisers will host a digital event – 24 Hours of Record-Breaking – to celebrate the creativity, dedication, and passion of people around the world following a year of lockdown and restrictions.
From the Middle East and North Africa region, three Emiratis managed to take part in the global GWR Day breaking four different Guinness World Records, reinforcing the country’s forefront regional position in world records with 425 in total.
Omeir Saeed Almheiri managed to break two world record titles for the farthest wakeboard ramp jump in the male category, as well as for the most wakeboard rail airs in 30 seconds. Khawla Al Romaithi managed to break the world record for fastest time to travel to all seven continents, while Meera Al Hosani broke the GWR title for the largest word made from socks, by writing the world ‘Happiness’ in Arabic to spread awareness on the inclusion of people with Down Syndrome in the UAE.
“If there is one thing that I learned from this experience, it is that we hold a big responsibility to inspire the younger generation, to transfer the message and share the passion. Having this global recognition in hand makes me proud as an Emirati, as this is certainly the jewel in the crown of so many years of achievement and success,” said Almheiri.
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Twenty three-year old Almheiri is a self-proclaimed wakeboarding junkie, and now two-time GWR title-holder for the longest ramp jump on a wakeboard achieving an impressive 21-metre jump, smashing the previous record that stood at 15 meters set by Jerome Macquart (France) in 2004. Almheiri also smashed another GWR title on the same day for the most wakeboard rail airs in 30 seconds achieving 10 in total, doubling the previous record also set by MacQuart in 2005.
The second achievement from the UAE was by Al Romaithi, for the fastest time to travel to all seven continents, which was achieved in three days, 14 hours, 46 minutes and 48 seconds. She smashed this challenging record-title achieved by Kasey Stewart and Julie Berry (both USA) in December 2017, which stood at three days, 20 hours, 4 minutes and 19 seconds.
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“To travel the world at a time when almost the whole global is in lockdown is challenging, but to be the fastest to do it is even more challenging,” said Al Romaithi. “I think it is destined to be like that, as since I started my trip in February 2020, the whole world changed all of a sudden, and I think it makes this achievement even more challenging and worthy. Being an Emirati mom with all this will makes me the proudest ever.”
Driven by the love for her daughter Latifa, Al Hosani, a third GWR Day record-holder, used 1,447 socks to write the word ‘Happiness’ in Arabic, creating the world’s largest sock word. Al Hosani said she chose socks because they are usually used to show your support by signifying the extra chromosome that people with Down Syndrome usually carry.
“This was a great way to help raise awareness about these amazing cheerful individuals,” she said. “I have been blessed with Latifa who spreads joy everywhere she goes. I cannot be more thankful to be recognised as a Guinness World Records title holder, and contribute to sending this message of hope from the UAE.”
With over 50 Guinness World Records titles up for grabs in countries including Australia, Mexico, Japan, China, MENA countries, across Europe and the USA to name just a few, this GWR Day is set to be the most challenging but most rewarding since its inception in 2004.