By John Ikani
The renowned reference book Guinness World Record (GWR) has urged individuals to reconsider their pursuit of record-breaking marathons.
The plea was made in response to a user’s plan to attempt unconventional challenges, such as the ‘Idea-a-thon and puff puff-a-thon.
GWR conveyed their message concisely on Threads, stating, “Please enough with the record-a-thons.”
This call for restraint coincides with Cameroonian skit maker Tembu Daniel’s ongoing attempt to break the world record for the longest crying marathon by an individual.
Nigerians too, have been actively seeking to make their mark in the record books after chef Hilda Baci recently surpassed her predecessor by setting a new record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.
Baci achieved this feat in May by successfully completing a 100-hour cooking marathon, surpassing India’s Lata Tondon’s previous record of 87 hours and 45 minutes set in 2019.
Inspired by Baci’s accomplishment, chef Damilola Adeparusi embarked on her own cooking marathon, lasting an impressive five days.
Adeyeye Adeola also sought to break Baci’s record by aiming for an astounding 150-hour cooking marathon, while chef Temitope Adebayo from Ibadan announced intentions to cook continuously for over 120 hours.
In another remarkable endeavour, Hassan Joshua Bature, a computer science lecturer at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), shared plans to undertake a teaching marathon spanning 150 hours.
Meanwhile, Cameroonian participant Danny Zara boldly announced her ambition to set a world record for the longest duration of a sexual marathon.
However, these aspiring record-breakers should approach their challenges with caution.
Recently, Nigerian masseur Joyce Ijeoma, who aimed to break the world record for the longest massage on different individuals, unfortunately collapsed during her attempt.
Responding to the growing trend of record-breaking attempts, GWR released a brief statement emphasizing the importance of proper verification.
They advised participants to consult “our team” and seek confirmation before undertaking any world record-breaking endeavours.
Here are some interesting facts about Guinness World Records:
• The Guinness Book of World Records was first published in 1955, and it has since become the best-selling book of all time, with over 100 million copies sold.
• The first record in the book was for the fastest game bird in Europe, which was a subject of an argument between Sir Hugh Beaver, the managing director of Guinness Brewery, and his hunting companions.
• The most popular category of records in the book is the “human body,” which includes records for the tallest person, the shortest person, the heaviest person, and the longest fingernails.
• There are also records for inanimate objects, such as the world’s largest ball of string and the world’s longest pizza.
• In order to be eligible for a Guinness World Record, an attempt must be verified by an official adjudicator from Guinness World Records.
• The most difficult record to break is the record for the longest time spent underwater without breathing, which is currently held by Stig Severinsen, who held his breath for 22 minutes and 22 seconds in 2012.
• The most unusual record in the book is for the most people dressed as bananas, which was set in 2015 when 1,267 people dressed up as bananas in London, England.
