Kenyan athlete aims for Guinness World Record

After overcoming adverse health threats when young, extreme fitness athlete and health coach Mohammad Adil Abdool will have a go at the World Guinness Records by attempting to officially break the 12-hours Burpees World Record on Saturday 31 July at an event held at the Nairobi Street Kitchen, Westlands, from 6AM and finishing it by 6PM.

The Mauritian-born Adil will have the opportunity to join the 18 Kenyans, mostly top athletes, that are currently listed on the Guinness World Records Book, if he breaks this record.

The current holder of the most burpees within 12 hours male is an American software engineer and fitness instructor Michael Aliotti who managed 7,295 burpees within the 12 hours and Adil will be hoping to do 705 more within the same time and surpass that record.

Burpees? You might ask, what is a burpee? Merrian Webster Dictionary defines a burpee as a conditioning exercise in which a person squats, places the palms of the hands on the floor in front of the feet, jumps back into a push-up position, in some cases completes one push-up, returns to the squat position, and then jumps up into the air while extending the arms overhead.

Adil was born with a severe lung infection that saw him become a chronic asthmatic for a large part of his life. However, through dedication to consistent fitness and nutrition routines, he managed to disparage asthma from his body and became quite fit in the process.

Adil operates under the mantra that nothing is impossible, and notes that breaking the record will show the world that all we need to do is condition our bodies and minds so as to achieve greatness regardless of the obstacles.

“Born weak, breaking one of the toughest fitness world records that exist will show people that through hard work and perseverance, nothing is impossible. We all need to condition our bodies and minds to achieve our greatness. We either break and crumble in the face of difficulty or rise and overcome. The choice is ours to make as we all hold the power,” Adil stated.

Adil’s competitive streak started when he was young, competing against the Junior World Champion in Dubai where he drew in the match at just 9 years. He also fought and was undefeated in 9 amateur Mixed Martial Arts cage fights, and has played youth football.

Adil will not stop at the burpees record. The adrenaline junkie plans to pull a 4x4 car from one end of Mauritius Island to the other, and also swim from one channel to another.

From the proceeds of the event, he also aims at raising cancer awareness, something that his mother went through, and wants to help Faraja Cancer Centre for the support they give cancer patients.