A 31-year-old Egyptian amputee man broke two Guinness World Records titles for the Longest distance swam underwater with one breath (LA1) swimming 56.48 meters, and another similar record using fins swimming 76.7 meters.
Omar Hegazy has triumphed over unbelievable odds to become one of the world’s finest athletes achieving an incredible feat.
Born in 1990, something awful happened to Hegazy 25 years later on his way to beginning a new life as a banker in Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Hegazy was taking a new big step to living new life by the sea in what was supposed to be of his choice far from restrictions.
Driving a motorcycle during a summer day in 2015, Hegazy was unlucky as he drove over a road pit to find himself under a moving truck in few seconds.
“At that moment, I didn’t know if I was dead or alive,” said Hegazy. Seconds later, pedestrians dived to the ground to pick him up and took him to a close hospital. He was losing consciousness, but pain was bringing him back to his senses momentarily.”
Arriving to the scene, his parents decided an immediate transfer to a hospital in Cairo. “I was not allowed proper food for days until my situation stabilized and I realized I might get into an operation at any point of time. When the doctors made their final recommendation for amputation, I was very calm. I asked for an immediate operation and cosmetic amputation for the remaining limb.”
Surgeons were worried Hegazy was not comprehending the situation correctly given his reactions. They had to put him for mental diagnosis for couple of weeks to make sure he is in shape.
Daily life was a trauma as Hegazy was suddenly unable to do simple tasks like picking up his phone from under a bed, going downstairs with no handrail, or going to the bathroom independently.
“My effort to collect my phone from under the bed would take an hour trying not to wake up my sleeping mom in a hospital room. My mental health was collapsing dramatically, and I started to have an identity crisis. I didn’t know what I was capable of.”
After three months in a rehabilitation hospital, Hegazy learned how to use a crutch and a wheelchair. Then he traveled to Germany in hopes for best medical assistance to design a prosthetic leg. Post-surgery, Omar slipped into a state of depression.
Hegazy had a fiancé who was his main supporter especially in the beginning. However, later disagreement led them to part.
After struggling for months, he bounced back to life reading a story published in June 2021 about Darine Barbar, an amputee athlete from Lebanon who made history by breaking a Guinness World Records title for the Longest Samson’s chair/static wall sit (female) 28 years after losing her leg as a teenager to bone cancer.
So, he started reading more and came across another story of Faisal Al Mosawi, a disabled diver who broke the world record for the Fastest 10 km SCUBA diving in an inspirational 5 hours and 24 minutes dive in 2018.
“My source of motivation in the beginning was that I do not have much left to lose. I only got into swimming because I was a very angry. I found a way to let out my anger and frustration, but it was also where I felt really free and capable,” he added.
Not only breaking world records, Hegazy swam across the Aqaba Gulf, Cycled from Taba in Sinai Peninsula to the Egyptian Pyramids in Giza, and climbed a mountain.
People overcoming odds is actually a really important part of humanity, and I don’t think we kind of get to celebrate that as much as we should. He is now a motivational speaker helping others overcoming their mental struggles, and has done multiple talks both on TV and Infront of an audience.
It may seem odd that a swimmer with one leg could do more than able-bodied athletes, however, Hegazy now wants to inspire other people with disabilities to chase their dreams and ‘think positive’ if an obstacle comes their way.
“I hope these Guinness World Records titles inspire others and serves as a reminder that amazing is somewhere near you, you just have to wide-open your eyes,” he concluded.
