Namık Ekin, a retired soldier, aims to break the world record in underwater weightlifting. Staying underwater for 24 hours, the 75-year-old man will attempt to lift multiple weights which will amount to 273 tons in total.
Known for his weightlifting and diving stunts and previous record attempts, Ekin, who served in Turkish army's elite Underwater Offense (SAT) unit, dived into a pool in Istanbul's Caddebostan Divers' Club on Friday for the record attempt. "Impossible is just a word," Ekin said before he started the attempt. A team of researchers from Gelişim University and representatives from Guinness World Records monitor Ekin, along with an emergency and security crew. Researchers will observe Ekin for a study on underwater endurance.
Ekin only dons simple swimwear while underwater, but will switch to a diving suit when hypothermia kicks in. He adhered to a strict diet with the assistance of experts to prepare for the attempt and made a dry run, so to speak, for five days, in a compression chamber, for two hours each for five days.
