Turkish diver Şahika Ercümen breaks women's free-diving world record

ISTANBUL

National sportswoman and world record-holding diver Şahika Ercümen on Oct. 28 broke the 90-meter women's cave diving (without fins) world record at the Gilindire Cave in Aydıncık, a town in southern Turkey's Mersin.

The cave was discovered by a shepherd in 1999 and dates back to the Ice Age.

The freestyle driver said she was overjoyed at earning the Guinness World Record and dedicated her win to Turkish soldiers.

"I felt a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. I received lots of messages saying the nation is with me. This made me anxious but thank God, I broke the 100 meters record. I dedicate it to Mehmetcik and Turkish Republic," she said, referring to Turkish soldiers.

The 34-year-old diver trained for the record attempt at a swimming pool in Mersin before she started training in the cave itself.

An asthma patient in her childhood, Ercümen went on to break and set several records, including the women's freshwater free-diving world record last year when she dived 65 meters in 1 minute and 58 seconds without fins.