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SCHOOLBOY Christopher Soto has become the youngest official male diver in Bahrain ... following in the flippers of child prodigy Georgia Faid who was declared the youngest certified diver earlier this year.
Chris, 10, a grade six student of the Nadeen International School was awarded Bahrain's 'youngest male junior open water diver' after a three-week training course by Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) at the Bahrain Yacht Club.
Robin Bugeja, PADI course director said: "For the past 15 years I have taught so many junior divers, but I have not met anyone this talented. He's a bit of a champion - my mini-man, Chris!"
Chris's mother, Jayne Wilson, 50, said: "Robin's his hero. He is always hanging around the club trying to help her in any way he can. He absolutely adores her."
Both his mother and step-dad John Wilson are also certified divers and the Saar-based family hopes to dive in the Red Sea some day.
Before coming to Bahrain, they lived in Cyprus for two years where Chris had swimming and diving lessons and became keen on the sport.
Chris dreams of one day becoming an oceanographer. He said: "I love diving and taking pictures of fish under the sea."
Such is his passion for marine life, he refuses to eat fish, referring to them as "friends".
Chris's most exciting underwater expedition was when he accompanied Robin on a dive at a shipwreck site. "I had never seen a wreck before - it was awesome."
He now cannot wait to turn 12 to be able to join the PADI advanced course and has literally one word of advice for young aspirants - "Dive!"
Georgia, also 10, formerly from Hamala, completed a junior open water diver course at Bahrain Yacht Club during the summer, as featured exclusively in GulfWeekly.
