A daring Dubai resident is ready to make waves once again – by completing a world record 13km swim clapped in leg irons and handcuffs.
Shehab Allam – described as the emirate's merman – previously set a global best when he swam 11km in handcuffs at Dubai's Palm Jumeirah last November.
Now Mr Allam, a swimming instructor and personal trainer from Egypt, is raising the stakes for his latest gruelling challenge.
He will dive into the waters of the Arabian Gulf at Dubai Islands on November 26, with shackles on and sights set on more history.
It was only when I found swimming that I discovered who I was and what I was meant to do
Shehab Allam
Mr Allam is hoping to smash the current Guinness World Record of 10km set in 2020 by the aptly named Indian swimmer, Dolphin Ratheesh, from Karunagappally, Kerala.
Despite his experience in endurance swimming events, he expects this latest effort to pose some unique challenges.
“For the first swim, I was totally depending on my legs for propulsion,” Mr Allam said.
“But I had a chance to change a group of muscles while swimming.
“Sometimes, even when I swam on my back, it was much easier because I could just move my legs freely.
“Now I will be depending only on the dolphin kick, even when I need to stop and take a rest.
“This time, having leg irons on, it is going to be even more challenging, but I am ready.”
Conquering Dubai Canal
The 32-year-old was also the first man to swim the 25km length of Dubai Canal in 2020, and hopes to set his latest distance record in about nine hours.
Mr Allam has been training every day this year, sometimes up to four hours in the water at a time – and training at night during the heat of summer.
During the record challenge, he will be supported by Dubai Police and Nakheel, the developers that manage Dubai Islands, who will monitor his progress and ensure he is safe in the water.
“I'm always active after every event I do, but I started an intense training programme two months ago once I had the permissions for this challenge,” he said.
“It is very difficult working only on one group of muscle, so for sure it is going to be slow.
“It was only when I found swimming that I discovered who I was and what I was meant to do.
“Now I couldn’t be anything else but a swimmer.”
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Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
High profile Al Shabab attacks
- 2010: A restaurant attack in Kampala Uganda kills 74 people watching a Fifa World Cup final football match.
- 2013: The Westgate shopping mall attack, 62 civilians, five Kenyan soldiers and four gunmen are killed.
- 2014: A series of bombings and shootings across Kenya sees scores of civilians killed.
- 2015: Four gunmen attack Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya and take over 700 students hostage, killing those who identified as Christian; 148 die and 79 more are injured.
- 2016: An attack on a Kenyan military base in El Adde Somalia kills 180 soldiers.
- 2017: A suicide truck bombing outside the Safari Hotel in Mogadishu kills 587 people and destroys several city blocks, making it the deadliest attack by the group and the worst in Somalia’s history.
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