Maldives sets new free diving record

The Maldives set a new Guinness World Record on Tuesday for the most number of people free-diving simultaneously.

The event was part of weeklong activities organised to mark World Tourism Day 2019. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and world champion free diver William Trubridge from New Zealand were among 521 people who stayed underwater for 30 seconds in the lagoon of Baros Maldives resort.

Officials from the Guinness Book of Records declared the ‘Neyvaa‘ (Breath) event a success and presented the president with an official certificate. The record was previously held by Verona, Italy where 280 people free-dived simultaneously in October 2009.

The tourism ministry is also planning other record-breaking events with Canadian “joggler” Michal Kapral, who will attempt to break his fastest 10-kilometre run while juggling four balls in Addu City on Friday. After the ‘Run in Addu’ event in the southernmost atoll, Kapral will also attempt to climb 3,000 stairs while juggling three balls at the Sultan Park in Malé. The current record is for 600 stairs.

The Tourism Day celebrations kicked off with a canoe race in Vaavu atoll last Thursday, which was followed by a three-day job fair that started on Friday at the Farukolhufushi event centre in Hulhumalé. More than 500 resort jobs along with internships and scholarships were on offer at the fair, according to the tourism ministry.

On Monday, the tourism ministry hosted students from different schools in the capital for an open day, which included a press conference where children posed questions to the minister. Later in the day, Tourism Minister Ali Waheed laid the foundation stone for a Tourist Visitor Centre on the island of Angolhitheem in Raa atoll. To be built jointly by the tourism and heritage ministries, the centre will feature a café and two galleries, one of which will show the country’s journey to democracy.

A ‘Kids Football Fiesta’ kicked off in the capital’s Henveiru grounds on Wednesday with former Real Madrid star Michel Salgado as a special guest.

Spanish Football legend Michel Salgado arrives in Maldives’ to host the #kidsfootballfiesta #WTD2010 pic.twitter.com/2G5LWTHlR3

— Ministry of Tourism (@MoTmv) October 1, 2019

What's next in the celebration of #WTD2019? That's right! #KidsFootballFiesta will start tomorrow and we invite all to come support the talented young teams!@MoYSCEmv @MoEdumv @MaldivesFA #AliaInvestments@Dhiraagu @CocoCollection@TheRealSalgado

Video: @thinkadv pic.twitter.com/XYXmSaE0E5

— Ministry of Tourism (@MoTmv) October 1, 2019