VLADIVOSTOK, Feb 29: Kuwait's champion and representative of the Kuwaiti Marine Sports Club in free diving, Ahmed Al-Bazzaz, secured an impressive second place in the World Ice Diving Challenge Championship held in Vladivostok, Russia.

Ali Al-Shamali, the head of the committee overseeing speedboat, wakeboard, and freediving at the club, commended Al-Bazzaz's outstanding global achievement. Al-Shamali emphasized the significance of this accomplishment, stating, "Al-Bazzaz managed a double triumph by clinching second place in a highly competitive field of seasoned divers. Notably, this marks his debut in the tournament, renowned as one of the most challenging events in sports diving under ice, where temperatures plunge below 15 degrees Celsius. Participants navigate through a circular hole and plunge into ice measuring over 40 centimeters thick, striving to cover the greatest distance possible."

Highlighting the timing of this achievement during Kuwait's national celebrations, Al-Shamali expressed gratitude for the support extended by the Marine Club Council, the General Sports Authority, and the Kuwaiti Olympic Committee. The ceremony to crown Al-Bazzaz included proudly raising the Kuwaiti flag, symbolizing a moment of pride for the nation.