Along the way, Russ Cook encountered machete-wielding villagers, armed robbers and severe bouts of food poisoning. Photo: The Snapshot People Ltd
Guinness World Records will honor a British athlete nicknamed “The Toughest Oddball” for his run across Africa, despite rival runners vying for the title.
Russ Cook completed his landmark run on Sunday, covering the entire length. Africa – 10,100 miles (16,300 km) in 352 days – and encountered machete-wielding villagers, armed robbers and severe bouts of food poisoning along the way.
The 27-year-old from Worthing in West Sussex quickly claimed online in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that he was “the first person to ever run the length of Africa”.
This sparked the ire of ultramarathoners who accused him of “denying” the achievements of others who had crossed Africa two decades earlier.
Now the row has taken a new turn as the Official World Record Awarding Body has confirmed Mr Cook will be awarded his own title.
Guinness World Records congratulated the record-breaking former cleaner on his feat, which included 16 countries and the equivalent of 385 marathons. Photo: The Snapshot People Ltd
In a statement, Guinness World Records congratulated the former cleaner and shopkeeper on his feat, which included 16 countries and the equivalent of 385 marathons between South Africa and Tunisia, saying “we look forward to seeing him evidence of the fastest crossing of Africa on foot (man).”
The body confirmed: “According to our recommendations, the start and end point of the record title 'Fastest Walking Crossing of Africa (Male)' is Ras Ben Sacca, Tunisia, to Cape L'Agullas, South Africa, which are the northernmost and the southernmost route. points across mainland Africa.
“Russ will be the first record holder of this title and we look forward to receiving evidence for our records management team to review.”
This is despite the fact that the World Running Association (WRA), a group of seven ultra-runners, claims Danish athlete Jesper Olsen became the first person to run across Africa in 2010, when he ran 7,949 miles from Taba in Egypt to Cape Good Hopes in Egypt. South Africa in 434 days – 2,113 miles shorter than Cook's route.
“The World Running Association therefore disputes British citizen Russ Cook's claim to be the first person to run the length of Africa.” said Phil Essam, its president.
Mr Olsen intervened in the row by gently chiding Mr Cook for taking days off during his challenge, comparing him to another WRA member, Serge Girard of France, who crossed five continents “without a single day off” “.
Guinness World Records told The Telegraph on Monday that there is no official record for the first person to run the length of Africa because “there is no recognized standard for the route, distance or time traveled.”
The British athlete documented his run, which ultimately raised £775,000 for charity, on TikTok. Photo: Hassan Mrad/IMAGESLIVE via ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
As a result, he only tracks the records for the fastest crossing of Africa on foot and the fastest walk from Cape Town to Cairo, which he says are held by another British athlete, Nicholas Bourne, who ran the distance in 318 days from January to December 1998. Olsen's run is not a world record.
Marie Loti, a WRA member who ran around the world in September 2022 and was one of the critics of Mr Cook's statement, said: “If he now wants to change his statement and say, “Oh okay, I'm the fastest” then I don't think we have any problem with that… we really admire what Russ has done, it's a fantastic run.
“But in saying that he was the first man in the world to cross Africa, it was as if he were denying the runs of Jesper and Nicholas, saying that they did not exist and that they did not cross Africa, as was the case.”
Mr Cook paid tribute to his comrade on Monday. athletes, saying: “There have been a lot of people before me who have done big runs and I have respect for all of them because they are all huge challenges, so nothing but respect.”
The Telegraph contacted Mr. Cook for comment. . The athlete documented his run on TikTok and hundreds of fans joined him in his final run, which ultimately raised £775,000 for charity.
At the finish line he admitted: “I'm a little tired,” and After he took the day off to celebrate.
However, he hinted that his next challenge could be just around the corner. “I wouldn't be surprised if I start planning some more pretty soon,” he told the BBC.
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