Şahika Ercümen | |
|---|---|
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| Born | (1985-01-16)16 January 1985 (age 40) |
| Alma mater | Başkent University, Ankara |
| Occupation(s) | Free-diver,dietitian |
| Known for | world record free diver |
Şahika Ercümen (born 16 January 1985) is a Turkishdietitian and world record holderfree-diver.[1][2][3]
Born on January 16, 1985, inÇanakkale, she was educated at the Gazi Primary School, and received a secondary education at the Milli PiyangoAnatolian High School in her hometown. For her higher education, she moved toAnkara, and became a dietitian graduating from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics atBaşkent University's Faculty of Health Sciences.[1]
Her participation inunderwater sports began withscuba diving andunderwater rugby. For twelve years, she is interested in various branches of underwater sports, and is a member of four national teams since 2001. She participated with theunderwater hockey,underwater rugby,underwater orienteering and free diving national teams in the World and European Championships.[1][3][4]
Her 110 m (360 ft) longdynamic apnea under ice (DYN) that was achieved on February 11, 2011, inLake Weissensee,Austria, found entry into theGuinness Book of World Records for both for men and women.[3][4] Former records were 70 m (230 ft) for women and 108 m (354 ft) for men.[5][6]
Şahika Ercümen is former world record holder ofconstant weight with fins at sea (CWT) discipline with 70 m (230 ft) set inDahab,Egypt on November 10, 2011 (recognized byCMAS). The former record belonged toTanya Streeter with 67 m (220 ft).[3] The same day at the same place, she set another CMAS-recognized world record diving 60 m (200 ft) deep invariable weight apnea without fins at sea (VNF).[4][7]
On June 1, 2013, she broke her own world record diving in the VNF discipline to a depth of 61 m (200 ft) insalinesoda waters ofLake Van, eastern Turkey (recognized by CMAS).[8] She stated that she preferred the site for her world-record free-diving attempt because she wanted to call world's attention to the migration ofPearl Mullet (Chalcalburnus tarichi), also called Lake Van fish.[9]
She set a new free-diving world record in the VNF discipline reaching the 91 m (299 ft) depth mark in 2:49 minutes atKaş, Antalya, southern Turkey on July 23, 2014. Former record in this discipline, which was set the previous year, belonged toDerya Can, another Turkish diver.[10]
On October 22, 2016, Ercümen set a new world record off Kaş, Turkey diving to a depth of 110 m (360 ft) in the variable weight apnea with fins at sea (VWT) discipline in 2:44 minutes. Her record was recognized by CMAS officials at site.[11]
She set a new CMAS world record for women diving in sweet water ofLake Salda inYeşilova,Burdur Province, Turkey to 65 m (213 ft) in 1:58 minutes. The previous world record was at 55 m (180 ft).[12]
On 26 October 2021, she set a new world record in variable weight apnea without fins at sea (VNF) category at Kaş, Antalya, Turkey with 100 m (330 ft), which is valid for women and men.[13]
In October 2025, she set a new world record of 106 meters in the variable weight apnea without fins at sea category, diving to 107 meters with the slogan “Let Gaza breathe, let darkness turn to light” to draw attention to Gaza.[14]
