Written By: Prerna Mittra | Updated : September 20, 2024 2:13 PM IST
Chelsea feels "excited and proud" for being included in Guinness World Records 2025. "I would have never dreamed that this would be possible for me." (Photo: Instagram/@showtimewerner)
Guinness World Records: It is said that when you truly set your mind to something and work hard towards it, you achieve it, despite the setbacks in life. A gymnast proved that recently by breaking several world records. According to guinnessworldrecords.com, model and fitness enthusiast Chelsea Werner who has Down syndrome is a record holder from the US and a multiple-time world champion owing to her significant streak of performing difficult exercises at the gym.
In 2024, Chelsea smashed four Guinness World Records in the impairment classifications:
"It is very unusual to see a Down syndrome gymnast at the level that Chelsea is [in]," her trainer said in a video shared by Guinness on its social media platforms. She added that the two have been training for "over 20 years". While some exercises were easy for her to do, others required a lot of training. Chelsea, however, refused to give up and trained exhaustively to make history.
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Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that is caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21); it affects physical and intellectual development in people who have it. It supposedly occurs in about 1 in 700 births. Its common characteristics include:
Chelsea, however, has continued to defy all odds. She was quoted as saying that she feels "excited and proud" for being included in Guinness World Records 2025. "I would have never dreamed that this would be possible for me," she reportedly said.
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According to the Guinness report, Chelsea has been a gymnast all her life. Interestingly, her doctors predicted when she was younger that she would always suffer from 'low muscle tone'. But, that never stopped her from working on her fitness and loving the gym. The record holder participated in Special Olympics gymnastics at the age of eight. Then, there was no looking back.
As mentioned earlier, she is also a professional model and has been featured in many leading magazines. She has advocated for representation and inclusivity, and wants the world to be more tolerant and loving. "I love that I can inspire people to reach for their dreams," she said when asked about her favourite part of being a fitness enthusiast, gymnast, and record holder.
While it is true that Chelsea takes longer than other able-bodied gymnasts to learn a routine, she makes up for it by working hard. She usually practises thrice a week with her team and twice a week with her coach.
The gymnast loves to perform for the crowd, and knows that her best comes out when she is performing under pressure!
