"You don't need superpowers to be a hero": War refugee smashes wheelchair pull-up records
“They always tell me I will not be able to do something, but I am going to do it and make it a world record,” says unstoppable force and twice-record-holder Adnan Almousa Alfermli.
Indeed, with his records immortalized within the pages of Guinness World Records 2025, the 27-year-old Syrian-born content creator proved all the naysayers wrong.
Despite a disability of 80% and having to use a wheelchair to get around, Adnan reached extraordinary athletic results. His efforts were crowned with international recognition, and the young war refugee already has his eyes set on more records, sports challenges and a Paralympic medal.
As a child, Adnan recalls he used to daydream about becoming a superhero. Many years and two world records later, he has learned that "it's not necessary to have superpowers to be a hero."
In fact, Adnan has seized two impressive pull-up titles thanks to his athletic skills and remarkable resilience:
- most pull-ups in a wheelchair in one minute (male) - 10
- heaviest single-repetition weighted pull-up in a wheelchair - lifting a whopping 32.60 kg (71.8 lb)
“Being featured in Guinness World Records 2025 has been a dream I had, and I have achieved it,” he says.
As a child, I always dreamed of having superpowers like superheroes to get what I wanted. As an adult, I understand that it's not necessary to have superpowers to be a hero.
The impact of the Syrian war has been particularly life-altering for Adnan.
“Since I was a child, life has thrown obstacles at me,” the record holder shared, opening up about his past and how it would permanently change his future.
Adnan's life changed in his hometown, Homs, after a seemingly ordinary trip to buy bread.
It was a "more or less short trip," he recounts, but while he was crossing a bridge a sniper’s bullet suddenly struck him. He was only 14 years old at the time.
"Crossing the bridge I heard a shot and I fell," he once shared in an interview with RTVE, "I didn't feel anything."
Later, as the teenager briefly regained consciousness, he realized he couldn't feel his body.
The injury affected both his neck and back, causing permanent damage and forcing him to spend almost two years in a hospital.
Later, Adnan and his family left Syria and travelled "from one country to the other" seeking a brighter future until they eventually relocated to Spain.
The record holder now lives in Barcelona: the city he calls home, and where he broke his records.
“I was going from one country to another to achieve a more stable life - and peace above all,” he remembers.
Since that life-changing day, Adnan has endured over 12 surgeries and multiple medical procedures. He went through extensive physiotherapy and took on several training routines.
Eventually, the steadfast support of his loved ones fueled Adnan’s appetite for new challenges and goals, encouraging him to look for a record title to attempt.
“My family and friends always tell me they are proud of me and what I have become,” he adds.
My friends are always surprised by everything I manage to do with my wheelchair and a […] 80% physical disability. They always tell me that they have never seen a person in a wheelchair do what I’m doing.
Training for a world record
Adnan’s record-breaking pull-ups didn’t happen overnight.
A marathon enthusiast and an avid wheelchair basketball player, Adnan spent months building up his strength for the record attempt, with a daily training schedule that could vary from three to five hours. Such rigorous commitment soon paid off, and he went from being unable to perform a single pull-up to reaching 10 in one minute.
The record holder focused on an all-around training regime for his body and mind, incorporating strength training, resistance exercises, and CrossFit into his routine.
"I really like doing pull-ups with extra weight, and pushing my body to the limit," he admits.
Looking Ahead
Looking to the future, Adnan aims to pursue his passion for fitness and is already set on snatching three more titles.
For his next stunts, the ambitious athlete says he will be focusing on rope climbing with and without a wheelchair.
“I am doing it because a few years ago I couldn’t climb even one metre,” he explains.
They always tell me that that is not possible and I will not be able to do it... and I am going to do it and make it a world record, proving that nothing is impossible in this world.
Among many achievements, Adnan proved his grit by completing the infamous Spartan Beast in his wheelchair in 2023 and conquering Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest peak, in 2022.
The first-time climber tackled the challenge with three other war refugees to raise money for the International Network for Aid, Relief & Assistance (INARA), a non-profit organization founded in 2015 that focuses on children impacted by war and natural disasters.
“It has not really been easy at all, but thanks to the team and the people who have been with me supporting me, we have achieved it,” Adnan confesses.
Outside of his passion for sports and his career as a content creator, Adnan is also a motivational speaker, using his platforms to share his story and raise awareness of the horrific consequences of war.
He also has a knack for photography, a hobby he pursues with his signature enthusiasm.
Adnan hopes his example will inspire others, and shares words of encouragement with his fellow sports lovers.
He urges people not to give up and to never let life's curveballs get in the way of their ambition: "A physical problem or a disability will not be an excuse to not continue and pursue your dreams.
"I just want to say that you never give up on anything in life and follow your dreams, no matter how high they are."
And if life throws you many obstacles, jump over them and pursue that dream you have, because you are going to achieve it.