Public display of strength: Nine records set at Punjab Youth Festival

Participants, including Army men, perform most push-ups, kip-ups.

LAHORE:

Participants of the Punjab Youth Festival broke nine world records at the Sports Board Punjab Gymnasium Hall on Wednesday.

Capt Arbab of Pakistan Army, the star of the day, broke two world records. He performed 62 push-ups with one arm in one minute carrying a 40 lb pack. Previously, the record was held by a British man, who performed 31 push-ups over the same time with a similar weight.

He also performed the most push-ups (166) with the back of his hands in a minute breaking a Qatari citizen’s record of 132 push-ups.

Another record was broken by a team of seven participants who balanced their weight for 46 seconds in a multi layered bed of one inch nails. Formerly, a team of five Indian men had performed a similar feat.Mujataba Hasan stunned the audience by breaking 107 walnuts with nunchaku (chainsticks) in one minute. A Chinese sportsman had previously held the title with 49 walnuts broken in a minute.

Separately, Muhammad Rashid cracked 155 walnuts with his head in a minute taking away the title from an American citizen.

Rashid was followed by Farhan Ayub, who performed 38 kip-ups in one minute (break dance), taking away the record from an Englishman, who had made it with 22 kip-ups.

Nadeem Abbas performed 70 push-ups with the back of his hands carrying a 40 lb pack in one hour, setting a new record. Previously, an American had set up this record with 51 push-ups in an hour.

Ali Haider created a new record by performing 52 push-ups carrying a 60 lb pack in one minute. The previous best was 38 push-ups.

The series of Wednesday’s record breaking came to an end with Zafar Iqbal’s new record of performing 100 push-ups in one minute carrying a 40 lb pack. The record title was formerly held by Lebanon with 73 push-ups.

Minister for Sports Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan was the chief guest at the event.

Earlier, talking to reporters at the opening ceremony of the Guinness World Records, he said that the Punjab Youth Festival had provided a platform to the youth. This time, he said, the organisers aimed at attempting around 100 world records.

Later, addressing the closing ceremony, he said no one could defeat the fervor and dedication of the Pakistani nation until it had enthusiastic youngsters like Capt Arbab.

“The entire world is observing our youth as they create world records.”

Sports Board Punjab Director General Usman Anwar and Guinness World Record representatives were also present on the occasion.

On Thursday (today), the participants will attempt records for the most pull-ups in six hours, the most push-ups in six hours and the most push-ups with 40 lb pack in one hour. Attempts at the most push-ups in 12 hours and most pull-ups in 12 hours will also take place today.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2014.