Youngest Canadian Certified PADI Divemaster
Record Holder
Metric
Date Achieved
Location
Atlas Record ID
Rossi Johnson
18 years, 7 months and 11 days
31 July 2026
Tobermory, Ontario [Canada]
20426089
Rossi Johnson became a certified PADI Divemaster on July 31, 2026, at 18 years, 7 months and 11 days old. Following review of his identity and certification documentation and a search of publicly available Canadian diving records, Atlas World Records recognized Johnson as the youngest documented Canadian to earn the PADI Divemaster credential.
Johnson developed as a cold-water diver primarily in Ontario’s Great Lakes, including extensive diving in the waters surrounding Tobermory and Fathom Five National Marine Park. His progression through recreational and professional-level scuba training reflects a broader ambition to work in marine research and underwater field operations.
Transparent Adjudicator's Statement
Summary of Claim
The claim submitted for review was that Rossi Johnson is the youngest Canadian to become a certified PADI Divemaster.
Johnson’s submitted documentation identifies his date of birth as December 20, 2007. His PADI certification record identifies July 31, 2026 as the date on which he earned the Divemaster credential.
Based on these dates, Johnson was 18 years, 7 months and 11 days old when certified.
Because the distinction is geographically restricted to Canada, Atlas does not classify the achievement as a world record. It is instead recognized through the Atlas Achievement Recognition program.
Evidence Submitted
Atlas reviewed documentation establishing Johnson’s identity and date of birth, including government-issued identification.
Atlas also reviewed PADI documentation identifying Rossi Johnson as a certified Divemaster and confirming his certification date of July 31, 2026.
Additional materials submitted in support of the recognition included photographs, video, diving records, and background information relating to Johnson’s training and diving experience in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada.
Comparative and Cross-Archive Benchmark Review
Atlas conducted a review of publicly available sources relating to Canadian PADI Divemasters, including diving-industry publications, dive training organizations, professional profiles, public archives, media reports, and other searchable historical sources.
Atlas also cross-referenced the publicly available records maintained by major world record organizations.
No publicly documented Canadian PADI Divemaster certified at an age younger than 18 years, 7 months and 11 days was identified during the review.
The research also considered the distinction between recreational scuba qualifications, junior-level training pathways, and the professional PADI Divemaster credential to ensure that only comparable certifications were evaluated.
Verification Methodology
Atlas evaluated the claim using three principal elements:
Verification of Johnson’s date of birth through submitted government-issued identification.
Verification of the PADI Divemaster credential and certification date through PADI-issued documentation.
Comparative research across publicly available Canadian diving records and broader archival sources to identify any documented Canadian who obtained the equivalent PADI Divemaster credential at a younger age.
Johnson’s age on the certification date was independently calculated from the verified dates of birth and certification.
Adjudication Findings
The documentation reviewed by Atlas supports Rossi Johnson’s date of birth as December 20, 2007 and his PADI Divemaster certification date as July 31, 2026.
These dates establish his age at certification as 18 years, 7 months and 11 days.
Atlas’s comparative review did not identify a younger documented Canadian holder of the PADI Divemaster credential within the publicly available records examined.
The submitted evidence was internally consistent with the claimed achievement, and no contradictory evidence was identified during adjudication.
Conclusion
Atlas World Records recognizes Rossi Johnson as the Youngest Canadian Certified PADI Divemaster, having earned the credential at 18 years, 7 months and 11 days old.
This designation is issued as an Atlas Achievement Recognition rather than a world record certification because the distinction is defined by Canadian nationality and therefore represents a geographically limited achievement.
The recognition reflects the evidence available to Atlas at the time of review and the results of its cross-archive examination of publicly accessible records.
