Turkish athlete Şahika Ercümen broke the world record in women's cave diving without fins on Monday.
She dove 100 meters in the icy waters of Gilindire Cave in Turkey's southern province of Mersin.
The 34-year-old diver trained at a swimming pool in Mersin before she started training in the cave itself to break the previously held 90 meters record. 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 Mehmetçik and Turkish Republic," she said, referring to Turkish soldiers.
Turkish athletes and soccer players have made the headlines recently when they made military salutes in international competitions as a tribute to soldiers who were carrying out a risky counterterrorism operation in Syria.
The 34-year-old diver trained for the record attempt at a swimming pool in Mersin before she started training in the cave itself. She first set her sights on breaking the record nearly a decade ago.
The Gilindire Cave, which is 555 meters long and 46 meters deep, is located on Turkey's southern coast, with its mouth facing the Mediterranean Sea. It was discovered by a shepherd in 1999 and dates back to the Ice Age. Stalagmites, stalactites and other formations decorate the interior of the cave.
