Professional skater Sandro Dias has broken two world records by dropping onto a ramp from the 22-story Centro Administrativo Fernando Ferrari building in Brazil.
According to Red Bull, the 50-year-old skater, who’s a six-time vert world champion and a prominent face of skateboarding worldwide, reached a speed of 103 kph, skating from a height of 70 meters with a drop of 60 meters. In total, he made four attempts, all of which were successfully executed on the first try.
After he did it, Guinness World Records officials certified him for breaking the records for "the tallest drop into a temporary quarter pipe" and "the fastest speed on a temporary quarter pipe."
Speaking to Red Bull, Dias revealed that the stunt had been in the making for 13 years. "I knew it was possible, but almost impossible to actually pull off," he said. "No matter how far away your dreams may seem, never give up on them!"
Dias also revealed how he trained for the stunt — with extensive physical and technical training that involved weight vests to simulate increased G-Force and stability drills at speed. "I prepared myself a lot for this," Dias explained. "It wasn’t easy, the training was way tougher than this, and that’s why I was so confident. This is a dream of more than 13 years that we’ve just achieved now, pushing the limits."
In an interview with Jenkem before the stunt took place, Dias opened up about the emotions he was feeling. “I think the most important thing is my mental,” he said. "To know that I was really prepared after all the tests, all the training. Because when you go there and look at the building, you’re like oh, my God, that’s big. But, I always tell myself, 'I’m prepared for this. I’m ready. I’m prepared. I did everything that I’m supposed to do to get ready.'"
Later, after the jump, Dias spoke to WWD about how he felt after breaking the records. “I’m surprised. Nothing is in pain on my body. Actually, it’s kind of crazy," he admitted. "Every test that I did before was super hard and super intensive, but the days after I felt normal. It’s kind of weird for my age."
To celebrate the legendary achievement, Dias hung out with the crowd who witnessed the event for a few hours before having dinner with his wife and friends.