By CW Staff www.constructionweekonline.com
On January 5 2010, Emirati Nasr Al Niyadi and his skydiving trainer Omar Al Hegelan set a new world record for base jumping after parachuting from the top of the Burj Khalifa.
![Burj Khalifa Burj Khalifa](http://burj-khalifa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/41-150x150.gif)
The developer of the Burj Khalifa confirmed that they permitted the man to jump off the tower, which had a grand opening ceremony just the day before.
Al Niyadi and Hegelan made a perfect landing after jumping from the 160th floor. The duo, from the Emirates Aviation Society, fell 672 metres (2,205 feet) at a speed of 220 kilometres per hour in under one and a half minutes.
Al Niyadi described the feat “as the best experience ever”. He said: “When we were at the top of the building I was thinking ‘this is crazy’. I was a little nervous but I wanted to jump from the highest tower in the world to record an achievement for my family and for my country.
“As soon as we reached the ground I looked up and just thought ‘wow’. I have completed over 2,700 jumps but this was the most amazing.”