Most yoga practitioners struggle to pull off the Niralamba Poorna Chakrasana contortion just once in their lives, but one 11-year-old girl recently managed to do it a whopping 21 time in one minute, setting a new world record.

On January 20, Riya Paladia, a gymnastics and yoga practitioner from the village of Gaulapar, in India’s Uttarakhand state, stunned a local crowd with her amazing flexibility and speed, performing the tough Niralamba Poorna Chakrasana yoga position 21 times in one minute. Described as one of the very hardest yoga contortions, the move didn’t seem to pose any problem to the 11-year-old girl who slid on her back with ease before rising up on her feet again, without using her hands as support. It almost looks like she is being pulled up by invisible strings.

Photo: rajyasameeksha.com

Riya, whose father runs a general store in their home village, has apparently always had a passion for gymnastics and yoga, and trains hard in both disciplines. She reportedly runs up to 10 km per day, and dreams of one day making the Indian Olympic team.

“I’m very happy about her achievement and that it was not really difficult for her as she was always fond of gymnastics and yoga,” the girl’s trainer said.

 

For her achievement, Riya’s name will now be included in India’s Golden Book of Records. Interestingly, the previous holders of the record for most Niralamba Poorna Chakrasana contortions in one minute have been very young girls as well. In 2017, the record was broken two times, once by a 13-year-old girl who performced the move 15 times in one minute, and again by an 8-year-old who did it 17 times. Riya has really set the bar high this time, though, with her 21 repetitions.