An inspirational dad from Rickmansworth is celebrating after breaking another two Guinness World Records (GWR).
Mark O’Brien, who is the men’s first team captain at Rickmansworth Lawn Tennis Club, now holds the record for the fastest-ever 50m swim and 100m freestyle swim for a person living with motor neurone disease (MND).
Remarkably, he beat both records on the same day, with the 50m taking place in London and the 100m in Dublin.
On Sunday, September 1, Mark completed the 50m in 36.10 seconds, beating the previous record of 38.92 seconds. He then swam the 100m in 1.29.13, a massive 10 seconds faster than the previous GWR.
Last year, he earned a GWR for the longest-ever open water swim, non-stop and unaided, for a person living with MND.
He told RICKYnews: “It feels amazing to have broken both records.
“I did not realise how different the two distances are in terms of training, technique, and breathing. Also, it took a small army of volunteers to make the attempts happen.
“I chose the 50m in the UK and 100m in Ireland as I hold dual citizenship. I lost my dad a few years ago during COVID-19 and none of our Irish family and friends could be at his funeral. The 100m therefore was particularly special to honour my dad.
“My goal was to give hope and inspiration to anyone suffering with a terminal illness, that although our time on this planet may be shorter than most, we can still try and make a difference and to never give up.”
Through the challenges, Mark is raising funds for three charities helping to support people with MND. To donate, please visit www.givewheel.com/fundraising/4026/guinness-world-record-attempts
0 Comments