FROM trekking through Antarctica to driving an electric scooter across China, adventurous feats were the focus of this year’s Guinness World Records Day on Thursday, an annual festival of record-breaking. “Guinness World Records Day is a global celebration of record-breaking: 600,000 people attempting a record in one day. And the theme this year is ‘spirit of adventure’,” said Craig Glenday, the editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records.

Participants already have a range of role models to inspire them. In January, French adventurer Matthieu Tordeur, 27, became the youngest person to reach the South Pole solo, hiking for 51 days through the Antarctic summer to reach the bottom of the world. In Dubai, a former British Royal Marine swam 5 km in 2 hours, 42 minutes and 48 seconds while pulling his son in a kayak, breaking the record for the feat. Nick Watson, a Dubai resident and professional triathlon coach, has over the years participated in triathlon courses with his son Rio, who has a rare chromosome disorder that among other disabilities hinders walking and talking.

The Harlem Globetrotters, a US stunt basketball team, already fields a number of record-setters from previous years and 2019 was no exception as three of its members broke records. Donte “Hammer” Harrison performed the longest underhand basketball shot at 26.02 metres (85.3 ft); Chris “Handles” Franklin got the farthest kneeling basketball backwards shot at 19.39 metres (63.3 ft), and a blindfolded Rochell “Wham” Middleton was able to bounce a basketball in a ‘figure eight’ style 63 times in a minute. In China, Song Jian turned a road trip into a record after driving an electric scooter 6,267 miles (10,087.2 km) from the western city of Fuyuan to the eastern city of Kashgar.

“It’s great to see so many people channelling their inner adventurer — proof that Guinness World Records Day just goes from strength to strength,” said Glenday.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2019