Video credit: Guinness World Records
Doha: A Doha-based experienced gymnast sets history for breaking a new and never-previously-attempted world record.
Ayoub Touabe, from Morocco and currently based in Doha, smashed the Guinness World Records title for the Most Single Leg Backward Somersaults Within 30 seconds. In a span of half a minute, Ayoub was able to perform a total of 12 somersaults.
Speaking to The Peninsula, Ayoub commented about this feat and said: "It's a personal achievement especially after long years of training and hard work, and I'm so proud of myself and all those who believed in me."
On Instagram, Ayoub shared pictures of this accomplishment and captioned: "Officially a world record title of 12 one single back Somersault in less then 30 seconds weighing 88kg which is extremely heavy for such a move. Soon I will break it again, the chase is on."
A somersault is a movement in gymnastics in which a person flips in a complete revolution along the ground or in the air bringing the feet over the head. The movement puts a lot of pressure on a single leg and the lower back which makes it very challenging even for experienced gymnasts.
It is said that only a few people globally are able to do this movement on a consecutive basis on one leg, and Ayoub is one of them.
Talking about the preparations he has done ahead of the attempt, Ayoub said: "These moves requires strength and mobility combined, plus repetition of a specific exercises to stimulate the moves, developing something we call muscle memory. And of course under the supervision of a professional."
"This way the body will easily follow and the moves are much easier and smoother," he added.
At the age of 32, he was able to set a world record which was rigorously honed during his 23 year career.
His journey started in 1998, by mimicking his father's gymnastic moves at a young age of almost 8 years old. His career in professional training began at a later age and he also got his degree at a medical institute. During his training, Ayoub suffered from multiple injuries. He said: “I don’t think I spared any part of my body without some sort of an injury.”
Ayoub was able to do his first somersault in 2009 but took more than a year to once again perform the movement consecutively.
He stated: “I managed to do my first somersault in 2009, but it took me another 18 months to do another one consecutively. By 2011, I uploaded a video on YouTube doing 10 consecutively. After thorough research, I realised there is no one globally who can do as many.”
Ayoub is currently training people to do gymnastics and most experienced student has managed to do the first somersault.
His specialty in coaching is bodyweight freestyle. This movement does not require any equipment and focuses more on mobility, flexibility, and natural bodyweight strength.
He said: “The moment you realise how to balance and work out your back flexibility and leg stability is when you know how to do it.”
“I am 5 ft 8 in tall and weigh 89kg, which makes somersaults physically very challenging,” he added.
In the aftermath of this achivement, Ayoub looks forward to a new goal which is to educate more people about the value of doing sports, and stand against society's resistance to sports.
Ayoub said: “Throughout the years, I have been told multiple times to give up my sports career, and focus on my university degree, but I refused and today with a Guinness World Records title, I am glad I didn’t give up.”
Ayoub's recordbreaking title coincides with the 18th Guinness World Records (GWR) Day, with a theme of Super Skills, in which he was among the record-breaking hopefuls from across the globe that have put on a jaw-dropping display of dedication, persistence and elite-level talent.
First held in 2004 to mark Guinness World Records becoming the best-selling copyright book of all time, GWR Day has inspired some now iconic record-breaking achievements. This year over 1000 applications were received from aspiring record breakers across the world, hoping to attempt records on GWR Day to secure their place in the next edition of the book.
