by Rachel Ogbu

A Japanese sprinter won the Guinness World Records as the world’s fastest man on four limbs.
It is part of the ongoing trend around the globe for the weirdest, funniest and downright idiotic stunts performed in the hope of getting worldwide reputation and a place in the 2013 edition of Guinness World Records.

Olympic hopeful Kenichi Ito was one of the first records smashed today, he crawled the 100m on all fours in an astonishing 17.47 seconds.

Known as “the world’s fastest man on four legs”, Kenichi may not be as quick as Usain Bolt or Oscar Pistorius, but he hopes his category will be added to the Olympics.

Already 28 British women have smashed their previous record by stuffing themselves into a British classic Mini in London – all in aid of Children in Need.

Elsewhere in the UK, Manjit Singh, from Leicester, will be attempting to break the record for the heaviest weight lifted by both eye sockets – a record which currently stands at 23.5kg combined. Singh shot to fame after a series of astonishing feats of strength, managing to pull a double decker bus and a fighter jet by his ears on separate occasions.

There is also a tilt for the much-vaunted ‘most underpants worn by one person’ and also an attempt to spin a basketball on a toothbrush for the longest time ever.

The largest record attempt today will be in America, with 400,000 schoolchildren building pyramids of plastic cups against the clock – making it the biggest gathering ever of ‘sport stackers’.

And as if that wasn’t enough fifteen-year-old Lachlan Phelps smashed the record this morning for the longest continuous didgeridoo note ever achieved. The blast lasted for 65.66 seconds – breathtaking stuff.

Craig Glenley, Guinness World Record editor in chief said: “This year it seems to be all about bringing records back home to the people who are most passionate about enjoying their culture and national identity.”